Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Season Ends Short of Expectations
4/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 19, 2005
Final 2004-05 Notes in PDF Format
Final 2004-05 Player Bios in PDF Format
Final 2004-05 Statistics in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. - On paper, the 2004-05 Northwestern men's basketball season will go down as one that was eerily similar to the 2003-04 campaign--the Wildcats finished one game shy of .500, which would have given them postseason eligibility.
Unlike a year ago, the feeling at the end of the campaign was more frustration than elation.
The season began with high expectations, with all but one player returning to the rotation and the addition of two transfers (one a former McDonald's High School All-America). It turned into a trying season for the WIldcats and head coach Bill Carmody--suspensions and injuries seemed to keep the team from developing a rhythm during the Big Ten season, and as a result the 'Cats spent the final month of the season scrambling to get above .500 overall.
Ultimately, of course, they did not. NU entered the final week of the regular season with a 14-13 record, but faced a daunting task--a home game with Michigan State (who would go on to the NCAA Final Four), and a road game at Indiana's Assembly Hall (where the 'Cats have never won). The Wildcats dropped both contests, putting their fate in the Big Ten Tournament. A first-round win over Michigan--NU's second over the Wolverines in less than two weeks--brought its record to 15-15, but the reward was a third game this season against No. 1 Illinois (who would go on to lose in the NCAA National Championship game to North Carolina). A 68-51 loss to the Fighting Illini ended Northwestern's season.
Some of the highlights this season included a 56-52 win over DePaul in a game that was televised nationally on ESPN2; that game was the debut of Duke transfer Mike Thompson, and he did not disappoint that night with 12 points (6-of-11 from the field) and five rebounds. NU also went 5-3 at home this season in Big Ten play, highlighted by a 75-74 overtime win against Iowa in which the 'Cats came back from 12 points down late in regulation.
Northwestern by the Numbers in 2004-05
.486 • Three-point percentage by center Vince Scott in Big Ten play (17-of-35); he finished second behind Illinois' Dee Brown in that category in his quest to become the first center in conference history to lead that statistic.
.703 • NU's assist-to-field goal ratio for the 2004-05 season; according to Stats Inc., the 'Cats led the nation in that category (Sam Houston State was second at .690). Other categories in which NU was among the national leaders (thanks, NCAA and Stats Inc.)
• 9th in percentage of points by juniors
• 20th in minutes played by starters
• 23rd in personal fouls per game
• 28th in minutes played by juniors
• 30th in scoring defense
• 49th in turnovers per game
1 • For the second straight year, NU fell one game shy of finishing .500 or better, which would have given the Wildcats postseason eligibility.
2 • NU wins over Michigan this season, one during the regular season and one during the Big Ten Tournament; the last time the 'Cats beat the Wolverines twice in a season was 1967.
3 • Consecutive seasons in which NU has won a Big Ten Tournament game; prior to this current run, the Wildcats won just once in the first five years of the event.
4 • Consecutive seasons with 10 or more wins at home, a first in program history.
5 • Consecutive seasons with 11 or more wins, a first in program history; in fact, the last time NU had five straight years with double-figure win totals was 1938 (the last of eight such seasons).
6 • Different Big Ten teams beaten by NU this season (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue).
7 • Consecutive double-figure scoring games for Mohamed Hachad to end the season; he averaged 14.6 ppg in that span, including a career-high 23 in the Big Ten quarterfinal loss to No. 1 Illinois.
10 • Different starting lineups put out by Carmody this season, a high in his five years with the Wildcats; five of those starting lineups came in the first eight games of the Big Ten regular season.
12 • Home wins this season (12-4 overall), a program record.
12 • Games missed by center Mike Thompson, a McDonald's High School All-America and Duke transfer, after he became eligible in December; he missed NU's game at Penn State due to a suspension, then the last 11 games of the season after injuring his foot in practice following NU's game at Wisconsin (2/2).
24 • NU regular-season Big Ten wins during the last four years, the most since 1967-70 (25).
27 • Out of 31 games, the number of times Vedran Vukusic scored in double figures en route to a team-leading 16.8 ppg average; he led NU in scoring 20 times.
31 • Games played this season by Vukusic, Mohamed Hachad and Tim Doyle, setting an NU single-season record.
31 • Starts made by Vukusic this season--obviously, also a record; he enters 2005-06 with a streak of 59 consecutive starts, longest on the team.
57 • NU wins during the last four years, most during a four-year period in program history.
68 • NU wins during the five-year tenure of head coach Bill Carmody, most during a five-year period in program history.
109 • Points scored by senior walk-on Michael Jenkins in 2004-05; prior to this season, he had nine points in his career. Jenkins ended up starting the last 12 games of the season.
520 • Points scored this season by Vukusic; he became the ninth player in NU history to score 500 points in a season, and it was the most scored by a Wildcat in a season since Evan Eschmeyer had 568 in 1998-99.
1,048 • Career points scored by Vukusic; he became the 26th NU player to reach the 1,000-point mark--and the fourth in four seasons--with his 13th point vs. Michigan State (3/3).
14 • NU players who reached the 1,000-point mark in three seasons, as Vukusic did. He is the second Wildcat to accomplish the feat in the last three seasons (Jitim Young did it as a junior in 2002-03).
