Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Delaware State
Wildcats Drop Delaware State, 50-43
12/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2004
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - In a game that was all-too-familiar to Northwestern basketball fans, the Wildcats jumped out to a large lead, allowed its opponent to come back, then pulled away down the stretch in gaining a 50-43 victory over Delaware State Monday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Vedran Vukusic scored 19 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Wildcats, who won for the fifth time in six games and improved to 5-1 at home this season. Under fifth-year head coach Bill Carmody, NU is 27-5 in Welsh-Ryan against nonconference opponents.
Mohamed Hachad added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Mike Thompson recorded 12 points and eight boards.
Northwestern (6-5) outscored an ice-cold Hornet squad 18-1 to open the game. Delaware State (3-8) missed its first 16 field-goal attempts and did not score a point until Troy Roundtree knocked down a free throw 6:26 into the game -- after Northwestern had already scored 11 points.
DSU's first made field goal did not come until Terrance Hunter hit a 3-pointer with 5:24 left in the first half. However, that sparked a 9-3 Delaware State run that sent the teams into the locker rooms at the half with NU up 21-10. The Wildcats had struggles of their own in the first half, as eight of their shots were blocked -- seven by Aaron Fleetwood alone.
As happened five nights before against Robert Morris, NU allowed its opponent to climb right back into the game to start the second half. Delaware State scored the first eight points of the stanza, and parlayed that into a 15-5 run that had the Hornets within 26-25 with 14 minutes to play.
Vukusic and DSU's Jahsha Bluntt traded field goals, before Hachad -- who entered the game just 1-of-19 from three-point land -- knocked down his second trey of the game to open NU's lead to 32-27. The lead went to seven when Vukusic threw down a baseline slam.
Tracey Worley knocked down another three-pointer for the Hornets, but Northwesern scored the next six points over a three-minute span to get some breathing room with a double-digit lead. Delaware State got within five on three separate occasions in the final five minutes, but no closer.
Bluntt and Aaron Williams had 12 points apiece for Delaware State, which added Northwestern to an already-rigorous early-season schedule that has included road games at Illinois, Michigan State, Marquette, Arizona State and UTEP. The Hornet's next game is at Michigan Wednesday.
Northwestern shot 45 percent from three-point land (5-of-11) and had 17 assists on its 19 baskets Monday night. In addition, the 'Cats outrebounded the Hornets 41-23, its largest positive rebound margin since the 2002-03 season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore (like DSU a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference school). NU overcame a sloppy performance, though, as the five starters combined for 22 turnovers.
Northwestern is back in action Friday afternoon, hosting Texas-Pan American in a New Year's Eve matinee. Tipoff at Welsh-Ryan Arena is slated for 1 p.m.
