Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Open Big Ten Play vs. Purdue Wednesday Night
1/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2006
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The Game
Northwestern enters its conference opener riding a three-game winning streak, having won four of its last five. They open up Big Ten play at 6 p.m. Wednesday night with Purdue, having won three straight and four of the last five with the Boilermakers. The 'Cats and Boilers will meet twice this season (Jan. 25 in West Lafayette) after playing just once in 2004 and '05.
Northwestern rang in the new year with an 82-47 win over Northern Colorado Jan. 1 where senior Vedran Vukusic led four players in double figures.
Purdue is coming off a 90-70 loss at fourth-ranked Memphis Dec. 30, though the Boilers have won three of their last four. Head coach Matt Painter's team features a balanced offensive attack with four players averaging in double-figures and five freshman who have accounted for over 60 percent of their scoring.
A Look at the 'Cats
Senior Vedran Vukusic has been carrying the load offensively for the Wildcats this season. The senior from Croatia is second in the Big Ten and ranks among the nation's leaders in scoring with 21.7 points per game. Vukusic has accounted for 37 percent of Northwestern's offense this season and has scored 20 or more points in eight-of-11 games, including a season-high 28 in the win over Charlotte at the BCA Invitational in November.
Vukusic also ranks 11th in the Big Ten in FT percentage (.786) and is 10th with 1.36 steals per game.
Senior Mohamed Hachad has busted out of a scoring slump with 56 points (14.0 ppg) in his last four games after recording just 14 in the previous three. Hachad broke out in a big way in the win over Delaware State, scoring a season-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, added 12 second half points against UIC, had 10 in the win at Seton Hall before his 17-point output against DePauw. He has cleaned up on the glass, averaging a team-best 5.2 rebounds per game, including nine in the win over Charlotte, tying his personal best. He is averaging 9.8 points per game and leads the team with 18 steals, ranking him sixth in the Big Ten. *Hachad had appendectomy surgery Dec. 28 and is out indefinitely.
No Wildcat has done a better job at finding the open man this season than junior Tim Doyle. The Merrick, N.Y. native is averaging a team-best 4.9 assists, currently ranking him sixth in the Big Ten, to go along with 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Doyle had a career-best seven assists against UIC and is shooting 77 percent (23-of-30) from the free throw line.
True freshman Craig Moore has become a regular in the starting lineup for the 'Cats. He has emerged of late to score 55 points (6.9 ppg) over the last eight games. He had his best performance of the year with 12 points (on four 3-pointers) and eight rebounds in the win over DePauw. More importantly, he has impressed many with his ball-handling and decision making with 23 assists and just five turnovers this season.
Junior Vince Scott has produced of late in the middle with 5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He tied a career-high with nine boards in the win at Seton Hall to compliment four assists, two blocks and one steal. He had his best offensive game of the season with 12 points and four assists in the win over Northern Colorado.
Michael Jenkins has picked up his play of late and has provided the Wildcats with a spark off the bench. The walk-on senior from Pasadena, Calif. has recorded 13 points, 16 assists, five steals and 14 rebounds over the last six games.
Redshirt freshman Sterling Williams is improving each game and has 22 points, eight steals and 10 rebounds in his last four games. He is coming off his best performance of the year with 11 points and three steals in the win over Northern Colorado.
Bernard Coté enjoyed one of the best games of his career and his best as a Wildcat with a career-high 14 points and four boards in the win over Northern Colorado. Coté is averaging 11.0 points over his last two games and has started the last four at the forward position.
'Cats Win Third Straight
Vedran Vukusic scored 22 points to lead four Northwestern players in double figures Sunday as the Wildcats easily defeated Northern Colorado 82-47. Bernard Coté added 14 points and Vince Scott had 12 for Northwestern (7-4). Northwestern built a 47-21 halftime lead while shooting 72 percent from the field. Coté (2), Vukusic, Moore and Scott each hit from downtown to help the 'Cats pull away early. Northern Colorado scored the first points of the game on a Matt Kline jumper, beating the shot clock buzzer. But it was all Northwestern from that point on as Vukusic's layup started an 18-4 run to put NU up by 12. The 'Cats extended their lead to 17 on a Coté three-pointer as NU outscored Northern Colorado 29-12 to end the half. The Wildcats scored 33 points off 25 Northern Colorado turnovers. Sterling Williams scored a career-high 11 for Northwestern, picking up the slack for sidelined guard Mohamed Hachad, the Wildcats' second-leading scorer (9.8 points a game) who is out indefinitely.
Noting The UNCO Game
'Cats Tighten Up Defensively
Northwestern has been turning in some outstanding defensive efforts of late. In its last four wins, NU is giving up just 44.7 points per game, including a season-low 36 to DePauw and 42 on the road at Seton Hall, the second-fewest of the season.
Those efforts have put Northwestern atop the Big Ten in scoring defense, giving up a league-low 54.7 points per game. In addition, they are second in 3-point FG percentage defense (.279) and fourth in FG percentage defense (.397).
About The Boilermakers
Purdue has one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten Conference with five freshman accounting for nearly 60 percent of its scoring. Freshman Chris Lutz, Korey Spates and Nate Minnoy, a Chicago native, are averaging 12.1, 12.0 and 10.2 points per game, respectively. Senior Matt Kiefer averages 10.0 points and a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game.
The Series
Wednesday is the 153rd meeting between the two schools. Purdue leads the all-time series 113-39, though Northwestern has won the last three and four of the last five, including four of the last six at Welsh-Ryan Arena. NU won the very first meeting with Purdue back in 1908, a 32-12 victory in Evanston.
Purdue Mentor Matt Painter
Matt Painter is in his first year as the head coach in West Lafayette after taking over for the legendary Gene Keady. During the 2004-05 season, Painter served as associate head coach during Keady's 25th season with the Boilermakers. Painter spent the 2003-04 season as the head coach of Southern Illinois, where he led the Salukis to a 25-5 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Salukis were ranked as high as 15th in the AP poll during the 2003-04 season, and Painter earned Missouri Valley coach of the year honors.
Carmody In Big Ten Home Openers
NU head coach Bill Carmody will try and make it three straight wins in Big Ten home openers Wednesday night. Carmody's Wildcats defeated Indiana 73-52 last season and Illinois 70-60 two years ago.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Lets take a look at some of the key statistics that dictate NU's success this season.
The 'Cats are 5-0 when shooting 45 percent or better and 6-1 when they shoot better than their opponent overall. They are 6-1 when they make and attempt more free throws and 5-2 when committing fewer turnovers.
In the three games NU has outrebounded its opponent, they have won (3-0) and they are 7-2 when they hold the opposition under 60 points.
Taking Care of the Rock
The Wildcats have done an excellent job taking care of the ball and are averaging just 9.7 turnovers over the last four games. The committed a season-low seven turnovers in the win over Northern Colorado and had a season-high 23 assists in the same game.
They rank first in the Big Ten in both turnover margin (+3.27) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.40).
Home Cookin'
In the last four-plus years the Wildcats have recorded a 46-18 (.718) overall record at Welsh-Ryan Arena, including a 19-13 mark in Big Ten play. NU is 4-1 this season at home.
Vukusic Approaches Top 10 Scorers
Vedran Vukusic is currently 12th among the all-time scoring leaders at Northwestern with 1,287 points. At his current scoring rate of 21.7 ppg, he is on pace to finish third among the all-time scoring greats in Wildcat history behind Billy McKinney (1,900 points; 1973-77) and Evan Eschmeyer (1,805 points; 1995-99).
Streak Ends At Nine
Vedran Vukusic was on pace to break the modern day record of consecutive games in leading the team in scoring until his string of nine-straight games was snapped when Mohamed Hachad led the Wildcats with 17 points in the win over DePauw. Evan Eschmeyer led the Wildcats in scoring 11-straight games during the middle of the 1998-99 season and is the longest streak in the past 35 years of Wildcat basketball.
Magic No. 60
Northwestern is 6-1 this season when they score at least 60 points and have held nine of their 11 opponents below 60, including a season-low 36 to DePauw and 42 to Seton Hall on the road. The 54.7 points per game is good for first in the Big Ten in scoring defense.
Michigan State, Illinois Single-Game Tickets Sold Out!
The Northwestern Athletics Ticket Office today announced that single game tickets to the men's basketball games vs. Michigan State and Illinois are sold out! The best and only way to secure a seat to these games is by purchasing a New Year's High Five Pack, which includes the Michigan State game on Feb. 4, or the Weekend High Five Pack that includes the Jan. 21 game against Illinois. The packages include five games for just $80! You can purchase the packages by calling the athletics ticket office at 847-491-CATS or online at www.nusports.com.
