Northwestern University Athletics
Win Streaks Collide Saturday In Minneapolis
1/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2006
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The Game
Northwestern will look to go 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1982-83 season when they travel to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. where the 'Cats defeated the Gophers on a last-second field goal last season -- NU's lone road win of the 2004-05 campaign. Game time is slated for 1 p.m. CST and will be televised by ESPN+ Regional.
Northwestern enters Saturday's game riding a four-game win streak and will look to give head coach Bill Carmody his best season start (9-4) since coming to Northwestern in 2000. NU has won the last three meetings.
Minnesota is riding a hot streak of its own, having won its last seven games, including a 67-54 win over Oral Roberts on New Year's Eve. The Gophers are 8-1 at home this season with their only loss coming at the hands of Gardner-Webb (73-72) back on Nov. 28.
A Northwestern Win Would ...
A Look at the 'Cats
Senior Vedran Vukusic has been carrying the load offensively for the Wildcats this season. The senior from Croatia leads the Big Ten and ranks among the nation's leaders in scoring with 22.3 points per game. Vukusic has accounted for 37 percent of Northwestern's offense this season and has scored 20 or more points in 9-of-12 games, including a season-high 28 twice: in the win over Charlotte at the BCA Invitational in November and in the win over Purdue Jan. 4.
Vukusic ranks 11th in the Big Ten in FT percentage (.797) and is 10th in FG percentage (.552) and steals (1.50). He is second in minutes played behind MInnesota's Adam Boone.
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 and 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 fourth in the Big Ten in that category.
*Hachad had appendectomy surgery Dec. 28 and is out indefinitely ... he is listed as day to day.
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 seventh in the Big Ten, to go along with 10.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He is coming off the best offensive game of his career with 20 points in the win over Purdue on 8-of-11 shooting, including two three pointers. Doyle had a career-best seven assists against UIC and is shooting 78.1 percent (25-of-32) 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 63 points (7.0 ppg) over the last nine 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 29 assists and just nine turnovers this season. Moore had six assists in the win over Purdue Jan. 4, tying his season-high.
Redshirt freshman Sterling Williams has improved steadily and has been more aggressive of late on both ends of the floor. In his last five games, he has 25 points, 10 steals and 17 rebounds. He had his best offensive performance of the year with 11 points and three steals in the win over Northern Colorado and had a season-high seven rebounds in the win over Purdue Jan. 4.
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 9.0 points over his last three games and has started the last five at the forward position.
Junior Vince Scott has produced of late in the middle with 4.8 points and 4.0 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 16 points, 18 assists, six steals and 15 rebounds over the last seven games.
'Cats Win Fourth Straight
Vedran Vukusic tied a season-high with 28 points and Tim Doyle added a career-high 20 points to lead Northwestern to a 66-53 victory over Purdue in the teams' Big Ten opener Wednesday.
Vukusic hit his first five shots and scored 20 points in the first half, hitting 7 of 8 field goals and 4 of 5 free throws. Vukusic shot 9 of 13 from the floor and 8 of 9 from the line overall.
The Wildcats, playing without Mohamed Hachad, saw Doyle contribute with 20 points to compliment Vukusic. It marked the first time since Dec. 27, 2003 when the Wildcats had two players score 20 points in the same game.
'Cats Tighten Up Defensively
Northwestern has been turning in some outstanding defensive efforts of late. Over its four-game winning streak, NU is giving up just 44.5 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 54.6 points per game. In addition, they are second in 3-point FG percentage defense (.292) and fourth in FG percentage defense (.401). *numbers as of Jan. 6
About The Gophers
With a 9-2 record entering their Big Ten opener, Minnesota is off to its best start since the 2000-01 season when they started 13-2 and are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak.
Senior Vincent Grier is back from injury and leading the Gophers with an 18.6 ppg average. He leads five Gophers who average in double-figures followed by Maurice Hargrow (17.3), Dan Coleman (12.5), Adam Boone (12.1) and Spencer Tollackson (11.4). J'son Stamper leads the team with 7.3 caroms per game.
The Series
Saturday is the 148th meeting between the two schools. Minnesota leads the all-time series 93-54, though Northwestern has won the last three, including last year's thriller in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Mentor Dan Monson
Dan Monson is in his seventh year as the head man in Minneapolis. Playing without recruiting or scholarship restrictions for the first time in his tenure, Monson directed the Gophers to the 2005 NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999 and engineered the second-best Big Ten turnaround in the last 20 years, finishing the season with a 10-6 conference record after posting just three wins just one year prior. In addition, the Gophers reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 1992-93. He coached Vincent Grier to All-Big Ten First Team status, marking the third straight year a Gopher has earned the first team accolade. Monson also served as the head coach at Gonzaga from 1997-99, taking the Bulldogs to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1999.
