Wildcats Hold Off Hawkeyes, 73-70, To Sweep Season Series

2/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Feb. 17, 2011

Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

Northwestern 73, Iowa 70
Site: Welsh-Ryan Arena • Evanston, Ill.
Records: Northwestern 15-10 (5-9 Big Ten), Iowa (10-16, 3-11 Big Ten)
Up Next: at Indiana • Saturday, February 19 • 6 p.m. CT

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern roared out to an early 13-point lead in the first half, then held off a feisty Iowa team in the second half to gut out a 73-70 victory at Welsh-Ryan Arena Thursday evening.

Michael Thompson took control of the game in the second half for the Wildcats, finishing with 16 points and nine assists with no turnovers to help Northwestern earn the season sweep over the Hawkeyes.

Thompson's assist total was one shy of his career achieved in his first career Big Ten game against Penn State on Jan. 2, 2008.

After hitting 10 first-half 3-pointers in their 90-71 win at Iowa Jan. 12, the Wildcats followed suit in this particular contest. NU connected on six of its first 10 attempts from beyond the arc in surging out to a 25-12 advantage with 11:20 to go in the opening stanza.

However, instead of pulling away as it did in the first meeting, Northwestern saw Iowa make a comeback. Eight straight points by the Hawkeyes trimmed the Wildcats' lead to 25-20 with 8:36 still remaining in the half.

Iowa eventually completely erased the 13-point deficit and took a 37-35 lead on a three-point play by Jarryd Cole with just under a minute remaining before the intermission.

A basket by Drew Crawford and then a runner by Thompson with two seconds remaining in the period gave Northwestern a 39-37 advantage at the break. NU assisted on 12 of its 15 field goals over the opening 20 minutes of play while committing only three turnovers.

Down two in the early stages of the second half, the Wildcats went on an 8-1 run to surge in front 47-42. Northwestern would maintain the lead throughout the remainder of the contest, though it was never able to pull away.

JerShon Cobb's three-point play with 3:01 left gave NU its largest edge of the second half at 69-62. But baskets by Bryce Cartwright and Melsahn Basabe made it a one-possession game at 69-66 with just over two minutes remaining.

The Wildcats are known for having 3-point shooters up and down their lineup, but it was the most unlikely of suspects who helped seal the win. Luka Mirkovic found himself all alone at the top of the key and coolly drilled a triple that extended Northwestern's advantage to 72-68 with 1:47 remaining. It was just the sixth 3-pointer of the season for the junior center.

Iowa would get back within two following a put-back by Cole with 5.2 seconds left. Thompson was fouled and sent to the charity stripe to shoot two with 3.3 seconds to go and converted the second try to make it a three-point game.

With no timeouts remaining, the Hawkeyes threw a long in-bounds pass to Cole near the free throw line, but he turned it over and the Wildcats held on for their fifth Big Ten win of the season.

Thompson's 16 points paced four Northwestern players in double figures. Crawford and John Shurna, who hit four 3-pointers, scored 15 points apiece, while Mirkovic added 13.

Northwestern faces a quick turnaround as it next plays Saturday night at Indiana. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. Central time.

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