Northwestern Cruises Past DePauw, 69-36

Friday, December 23

Evanston, Ill.

7:00 PM

Northwestern

DePauw

Northwestern Cruises Past DePauw, 69-36

12/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Dec. 23, 2005

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Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Mohamed Hachad led three Wildcats in double figures with 17 points as Northwestern easily defeated DePauw, 69-36, Friday night in Evanston, Ill.

Freshman guard Craig Moore scored a career-high 12 points, hitting 4-of-7 3-pointers, and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for the Wildcats (6-4). Senior forward Vedran Vukusic scored 11, marking the first time this season the senior did not lead the team in scoring. He also had five steals.

Northwestern used its defensive pressure and speed to put the Tigers away with a 19-0 run in the second half. DePauw's Alex Stewart hit a 3-pointer to make it 37-29 before the Wildcats held their visitors scoreless for the next 10 minutes.

Hachad, who hit 8-of-12 shots, hit a 3-pointer and scored off his own steal to start the run. The Wildcats had 13 steals and scored 21 fast-break points.

DePauw was in the game early, going on a 10-3 run to tie it 12-12 with 12:10 left before the Wildcats responded with a 20-5 run, capped off by triples from Bernard Coté and Craig Moore to give NU the 34-22 halftime lead.

Brian Oilar scored nine points to lead the Tigers (4-6), who shot just 29.4 percent and committed 19 turnovers.

Northwestern is back in action at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day, Jan. 1 against Northern Colorado in Evanston. The Wildcats begin Big Ten play Jan. 4 at home against Purdue.

Postgame Notes

Tonight was the first regular season meeting between the two schools since 1945.

Northwestern has now won three of their last four games.

Ten different Wildcats reached the scoring column.

Craig Moore had the best game of his young career, establishing season highs with 12 points, four three-point field goals and eight rebounds.

With three assists, Craig Moore now has 21 assists and just three turnovers on the season. In his five starts this season, the freshman has 13 assists and only one turnover.

For the first time this season Vedran Vukusic did not lead the team in scoring, ending his streak of nine straight games. He recorded a season-high five steals, one shy of his personal-best. He also had a season-best three assists.

Bernard Coté established new career-highs with eight points, four rebounds and 24 minutes.

Mohamed Hachad tied a career-high with eight field goals (8-of-12) and tied a season-high with 17 points.

The 33-point win was the largest margin of victory since Nov. 24, 2001 when the Wildcats defeated Chicago State 80-42.

Northwestern's defense:
Allowed just 14 second half points ... held the Tigers scoreless over a 10-minute span in the second half (19-0 run) ... did not allow a double-digit scorer ... forced 19 DePauw turnovers and turned 13 steals into 21 points ... held DePauw's Stephen Schott (18.2 ppg) to just four points.

The 14 points given up by Northwestern in the second half tied for the fewest points given up during a second half in the Bill Carmody era. In addition, the 36 total points were the fewest since giving up that same number to Maryland-Eastern Shore Nov. 22, 2002.

Northwestern outscored the Tigers 21-0 on fast break points, 21-5 in points off turnovers and 37-14 in the paint.

DePauw entered the game shooting 48 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range. Tonight NU's defense held the Tigers to 20 percent on 5-of-25 from behind the arc and 29 percent for the game.

Senior Joe Kennedy and freshman Jean-Marc Melchior each scored their first points of the season. Kennedy added a late three-pointer and Melchior a layup and one blocked shot.