Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Tip Off Against Lehigh at BCA Invitational
11/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Game Information
Nov. 13, 2005 • 9 p.m CST.
Northwestern (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs.
Lehigh (0-0, 0-0 Patriot League)
Arena-Auditorium (15,000)
Laramie, Wyo.
Tournament Central
The Broadcasts:
Radio: WNUR (89.3 FM) and NUsports.com.
Television: None
Head coach Bill Carmody has preached time and time again how imperative it is for his team get off to a good start. The Wildcats started 1-4 last season and 5-7 in 2003-04, finishing one game under .500 each of those seasons--one win shy of postseason eligibility.
This Sunday, Nov. 13 the Wildcats get another fresh start at the Black Coaches Association (BCA) Invitational in Laramie, Wyo., when they tip off at 9 p.m. against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks out of the Patriot League. Northwestern will then meet either Charlotte or Coppin State Monday. The four other teams in the top half of the bracket include UNC Wilmington vs. Butler and Alabama State vs. Wyoming. The tournament marks just the third time in the past 10 years that the Wildcats have opened on the road.
Wildcats Making Second BCA Appearance
Northwestern and coach Carmody are playing in their second BCA Invitational in five seasons, having participated in the tournament in Nov. 14-16, 2001 in Raleigh, N.C. The 'Cats first defeated Virginia Commonwealth 78-73 in the opening round before losing to East Carolina 71-68 the following day. Northwestern then closed out the tournament with a 59-51 win over San Jose State. That season also marked Carmody's best start at Northwestern. After going 2-1 at the BCA, Northwestern reeled off five straight wins to start 7-1 and 8-2.
About Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks return three starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team that went 14-15 and 7-7 (fourth place) in the Patriot League.
Returning in the backcourt is the scoring duo of senior Joe Knight and junior Jose Olivero who averaged 13.6 and 13.0 ppg last season, respectively. Knight scored 45 points last year against Colgate in the Patriot League Tournament, the most in the NCAA Division I-A ranks last season and the second-most in Lehigh history. He hit 15-of-19 from the field and 10-of-12 from three-point range. Also back is junior Jason Mgebroff, a 6-10, 275-pound center who averaged just under nine points (8.7) and four rebounds per game.
Billy Taylor (Notre Dame '95) is in his fourth season as head coach with a 50-38 through three seasons. Taylor's 50 victories in his first three seasons are more than any other coach in Lehigh history. Taylor's teams have averaged over 16 victories per season, including 20 in 2003-04, which is the second most in the 104-year history of the program.
The Series With Lehigh
Tonight's game is just the second meeting all-time between the two schools. Northwestern won the only meeting 81-66 back on Jan. 4, 1993 in Evanston under former NU head coach Bill Foster.
Wildcats vs. The Patriot League
The Wildcats are 6-1 all-time against members of the Patriot League. The last time Northwestern faced a team from the Patriot League was Dec. 3, 2003 when the 'Cats defeated Bucknell 69-61 in Evanston. Here is how NU has fared against the rest of the conference.
The Patriot League made a quite a splash last season in the postseason, most notably when Bucknell knocked off Kansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament in addition to Holy Cross defeating Notre Dame in the opening round of the postseason NIT.
A Quick Glance At The Wildcats
Entering his sixth year at the helm, head coach Bill Carmody appears ready to take the Wildcats to the next level in the Big Ten Conference.
Northwestern has been on the brink of postseason play each of the previous two seasons, finishing one game under .500 in each of those years.
But with three starters and eight letterwinners back from last year's squad, including All-Big Ten forward Vedran Vukusic, all signs indicate the Wildcats are ready to turn the corner and have one of the more successful seasons in recent history.
With this weekend's trip to Laramie, Wyo., for the Black Coaches Association (BCA) Invitational, the Wildcats will be tested early. Northwestern will face Lehigh in the first round and possibly Charlotte, an NCAA Tournament qualifier from last year, in the second round. Other tough nonconference tests include road trips to DePaul and Seton Hall from the Big East and Virginia for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Leading an experienced group of seniors is Vedran Vukusic, a 2004-05 Third-Team All-Big Ten selection who will vie for Big Ten Player of the Year honors and All-America consideration this season.
As Vedran goes, so go the Wildcats.
The Split, Croatia native was fourth in the Big Ten with 16.8 points per game last season, scored in double figures in all but four games and enters 2005-06 having made a team-high 59-consecutive starts.
Complementing Vukusic in the frontcourt this season are senior Mike Thompson and juniors Tim Doyle and Vince Scott.
The coaches are hoping Thompson can be a major force inside. He averaged over 10 points in 13 games in 2004-05 and will be counted on for more scoring this year.
Doyle played in all 31 games last year with 11 starts, averaging just under five points and four rebounds per game and coach Carmody is hoping he can be consistent for a full season. Scott saw more action than expected last season due to injuries in the frontcourt. But he was a pleasant surprise to the coaching staff and ended up starting 13 of the final 15 games. At 6-10, he gives the Wildcats excellent size upfront off the bench.
Also in the mix will be University of Kentucky transfer Bernard Cote´ and freshman Jean-Marc Melchior from Luxembourg.
Cote´ gives the the Wildcats another dimension offensively. At 6-8, 230, he can run the floor, hit from the outside and challenge inside.
The generals of the backcourt this season are seniors Michael Jenkins and Mohamed Hachad. Jenkins is expected to get the starting nod at the point guard slot, replacing T.J. Parker who left school to play professionally in France. Jenkins, a former walk-on, started 14 games for the Wildcats last season, averaging 4.5 points while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range. Hachad returns for his senior season after averaging nearly nine points and five rebounds per game last year.
Backing up the guards is redshirt freshman Sterling Williams. After sitting out a year to better learn coach Carmody's offensive system, the Chicago native is ready to show off the skills that made him an all-state selection in high school. Williams can play either the guard or forward positions, but will primarily be used on the wing.
Also adding depth are senior Evan Seacat and freshman Craig Moore. Seacat averaged 5.7 points a game and was second on the team with 34 treys as a sophomore in 03-04, but has battled through injuries a majority of his career. Carmody describes Moore as a well-rounded guard with range who should see plenty of action in the backcourt.
