Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Late Run Lifts No. 13 Badgers Past Wildcats, 60-50
1/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2010
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern matched 13th-ranked Wisconsin blow for blow for the majority of Wednesday night, but a 21-8 Badger run over the final seven minutes proved to be the difference as the Wildcats fall 60-50 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. John Shurna led NU with 15 points while Jeremy Nash had 13 points and Luka Mirkovic added eight points and 10 rebounds.
With 5:28 remaining and the 'Cats trailing by one, Northwestern freshman Drew Crawford hit a contested 3-pointer to put NU ahead by two. But Wisconsin's Trevon Hughes buried three 3-pointers over the next two minutes and the Badgers suddenly found themselves up seven, 55-48, en route to the victory.
Hughes, who entered the evening averaging 15.2 points per game, was limited to just one point on 0-of-9 shooting late into the second half. His scoring outburst down the stretch, however, allowed him to finish as Wisconsin's second-leading scorer with 16 points.
Fans at Welsh-Ryan Arena were treated to a clean and well-played first half during which Northwestern (12-4, 1-3) and Wisconsin (14-3, 4-1) combined to commit just six fouls and eight turnovers. Nash provided the spark on offense for the Wildcats, making three of his first four jump shots on the evening.
With Northwestern trailing 22-20, Crawford drilled a big 3-pointer at the 3:28 mark to give the 'Cats a one-point edge. Wisconsin's Tim Jarmusz answered with a triple of his own before Nash cashed in his fourth basket of the opening half, entering intermission with nine points and helping NU to a 27-27 tie at the break.
The see-saw nature of the game continued as the two teams traded baskets early in the second half until both squads put the clamps on defensively. A layup by Shurna at the 14:37 mark of the second half turned out to be the last made field goal by either team until a game-tying trey by Hughes with 6:55 to play, a span of nearly eight minutes.
By the time all was said and done, there had been 14 lead changes and seven ties during the course of the game.
Two of Hughes' back-breaking 3-pointers in the waning minutes came off offensive rebounds by the Badgers; for the game, Wisconsin hauled in 15 offensive boards and cashed them in for 17 second-chance points.
Northwestern's challenging Big Ten stretch continues when the 'Cats welcome No. 6 Purdue to Welsh-Ryan Arena at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
