Northwestern
Ohio State
Shurna's 3-Pointer Lifts Wildcats Over Buckeyes, 72-69
2/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2009
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern and Ohio State combined to make 23 3-pointers Wednesday night but it was John Shurna's triple with 3.3 seconds remaining that gave NU a 72-69 win over the Buckeyes at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Junior Kevin Coble scored 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting for the 'Cats.
It was Northwestern's eighth conference game this season to be decided by five points or less.
Coble and senior Craig Moore spearheaded Northwestern's attack, combining for 49 of NU's 72 points. Moore finished with 23 points, including seven 3-pointers, and five assists. He now has 296 career three-point field goals, and continues to lead the Big Ten in 3's per game this season.
After the Wildcats snared a five-point lead down the stretch, a triple by Ohio State's William Buford with just under a minute remaining brought the Buckeyes to within two, 69-67.
On the ensuing NU possession, Jon Diebler came up with a steal leading to a game-tying layup with 26 ticks on the clock.
Coming out of a timeout with eight seconds remaining, NU point guard Michael Thompson dribbled hard down the lane and dished off to Shurna, who hit the winner from the right wing despite battling the flu prior to the game.
Just over two minutes into the second half, Ohio State had opened a 12-point lead on Northwestern, marking the Buckeyes' largest advantage of the game.
But it was all Wildcats from that point on as NU broke out on a 21-3 run, capped off by a tough layup by Jeremy Nash down low and a trey by Moore that gave Northwestern (14-10, 5-8) a 49-43 lead with 10:15 to play.
Diebler kept the visitors in the game with his remarkable long-range shooting. Diebler connected on 8-of-10 3-point attempts and finished with a career-high 28 points.
Midway through the second half, both squads kicked their scoring into overdrive, at one point trading 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions.
Northwestern's 13 threes marked its second-highest total of the year behind only the 14 it made at Brown on Nov. 22.
The 'Cats also received solid contributions down low, including a seven-point, three-rebound performance by freshman center Kyle Rowley.
NU is back on in action at 6 p.m. Sunday, traveling to Minnesota to face the Gophers.
