Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Hit Road to Face Spartans
1/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The only thing missing Wednesday was a soundtrack -- although the chants of "Mi-chael Jenk-ins!" were a nice touch.
Senior walk-on Michael Jenkins was the catalyst for what was arguably Northwestern's best effort of the 2004-05 season Wednesday. Making his first career start in place of point guard T.J. Parker (who sat out the game with the flu), the 5-foot-9 Jenkins played 36 minutes and ran the Wildcats' intricate offense impeccably. He knocked down a pair of three-point baskets -- both at critical times -- en route to eight points. And, get this, he led the Wildcats in rebounding with seven.
Northwestern vs. Michigan State
Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005 * 2 p.m. EST (1 p.m. Central)
Breslin Center (East Lansing, Mich.)
TV: ESPN+ Regional (Craig Coshun, play-by-play; Greg Kelser, analyst)
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Bob Hildebrand, analyst)
The rest of the team seemed to feed off of Jenkins' inspired showing -- with a little help from a raucous Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd that was aided by the return of the student body. Everyone got in on the act: three players (Mike Thompson, Vedran Vukusic and Mohamed Hachad) scored in double figures; Hachad was a demon on defense; and Tim Doyle dished out six assists, a few of the spectacular variety.
"I thought it was our best game this year so far," said head coach Bill Carmody afterward. "I thought we played well -- we did not turn the ball over, and we were able to get some good looks. Defensively, we were able to create some turnovers and we were a presence. We made them aware of us."
The next step for NU? Winning on the road. That is the task in front of Carmody's team the next two outings, beginning today at a venue that has been a house of horrors for nearly all Big Ten teams in recent years -- Michigan State's Breslin Center.
"I have said all along, to have success in the Big Ten you need to defend your home court and then win your share on the road," said Carmody.
Did You Know?
Northwestern has defeated six ranked opponents during the Bill Carmody era (with at least one of the wins coming during each of his first four seasons), and the last four wins in that group have been by double digits. However, all six of the wins have come at the Wildcats' Welsh-Ryan Arena -- as opposed to today's game with No. 20/19 Michigan State.
The Series With Michigan State
• Today marks the 106th meeting between the Wildcats and the Spartans in men's basketball; Michigan State leads the series, 69-36.
• NU head coach Bill Carmody is 1-6 all-time against MSU; the lone win came in Evanston in 2002.
• Michigan State was one of just two Big Ten teams the Wildcats did not beat last year; in fact, the Spartans knocked NU off three times last season, twice during the regular season and again in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal round.
• NU has never won at the Breslin Center, which opened in 1989; the last time the 'Cats won in East Lansing was 1984.
