Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Penn State
Northwestern Edged by Penn State 65-61
1/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2006
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern saw its five-game win streak come to a halt Wednesday night with a 65-61 setback against Penn State at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Vedran Vukusic scored 21 points for the Wildcats, but it wasn't enough as Penn State's Geary Claxton led three Nittany Lions in double figures with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
With the win, Penn State (9-4, 1-1) denied Northwestern a 3-0 start in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1967-68 season.
Penn State made a living on the offensive glass. They grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and outscored NU 14-6 on second chance points. The Lions won the battle of the boards by a combined 36-25.
Trailing 36-31, Penn State's David Jackson sparked a 10-0 Penn State run. He scored eight points in the span and hit two 3's to take a 41-36 lead. Northwestern then scored seven-consecutive points to cut Penn State's lead. Sterling Williams' jumper got Northwestern within two, making it 43-41 Penn State with 13:49 left.
Two free throws by Travis Parker gave PSU a six-point lead with 10:59 remaining, but the 'Cats scratched and clawed their way back again and tied the game at 58-58 when a slashing Mohamed Hachad found Tim Doyle undernearth for a layup with 3:34 left. But the 'Cats never scored again until the game was out of reach.
Northwestern jumped all over the Nittany Lions early and took a 28-17 lead when a layup by Vukusic capped a 13-2 run by Northwestern. However, two straight three's by Parker ignited an 8-0 run by Penn State and the 'Cats led 34-30 at the break.
Vukusic scored 14 points in the first half and scored 10 straight points during a stretch. Claxton scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in the first half for Penn State.
Jackson finished with nine points and Parker fouled out with 10 points and six rebounds for Penn State.
Hachad and Craig Moore both had nine points for Northwestern.
The Wildcats are back in action this Saturday when they travel to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wis. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
