Northwestern Runs Away With Exhibition Win Over UIS

11/4/2016 8:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights Postgame Press Conference (Collins)Postgame Press Conference (Lindsey/Brown)

Brown paces Wildcats with 18 points

By: David Herder

EVANSTON, Ill.— Freshman Isiah Brown led all scorers with 18 points, while four other Wildcats reached double figure scoring as Northwestern cruised to an 89-52 victory over the Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars in an exhibition contest Friday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Bryant McIntosh had 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists to open the season, while Scottie Lindsey chipped in 13 points and six rebounds in just 17 minutes. The Wildcats moved to 4-0 under Chris Collins in exhibition games while holding the Prairie Stars to just 29 percent shooting from the field.

"There were a lot of bright spots. We held them to 29 percent shooting, and 16 percent from three," said Northwestern head coach Chris Collins. "This will be great teaching tape for us, as we have a week to get ready for our opener Friday night."

Northwestern burst out to an early 13-6 lead, led by Scottie Lindsey's six points, three rebounds, and an assist in the opening five minutes. The Wildcats used a 12-2 run out of the first break to extend their lead to 22-8, capped off with Aaron Falzon draining his second three of the game.

While the Wildcat offense was purring, Northwestern's defense stifled the Prairie Stars, holding them to just 26.7 percent shooting, and 0-11 from three-point range in the first half. Dererk Pardon recorded three blocks, while the #B1GCats added four steals.

The Wildcats again came out of a break hard with six minutes in the half. Brown showed no nerves in his first game in the Purple and White, flying down court in transition and finishing in traffic at the rim, as Northwestern used a 10-0 run to claim a 44-21 lead.

"Isiah's ability to score the ball is going to be huge for this team," said Collins. "He's a very confident guy. He's not afraid out there, and I love that. He's going to have a really good career here and I'm excited to see what he'll become."

Brown added a three a minute before the half, and Nathan Taphorn added a layup to send the Wildcats into the half with a 26-point lead at 53-27.

Lindsey started the second half just as he had the first, remaining hot and christening the half with a triple. Bryant McIntosh then dropped the jaws of the Welsh-Ryan Arena faithful, as he whipped a dime across the key to a cutting Sanjay Lumpkin for his fourth assist of the game to make it 58-30.

With Northwestern cruising, 12 Wildcats saw action and 11 scored, including center Barret Benson making his first collegiate appearance. Vic Law, making his return to the lineup after missing last season through injury, finished with 11 points while also contributing a trio of rebounds and steals and a pair of blocks.

"Whenever you miss a year, it's hard," said Collins. "I thought (Law) settled down in the second half. He relaxed, he took better shots. Seeing him make a couple at the end, that was huge."

Northwestern held UIS to two points in the final three minutes, and Benson pocketed his first collegiate points with a late tip-in to cap Northwestern's victory.

The Wildcats open the regular-season slate against Mississippi Valley State on Friday, Nov. 11 with a 7 p.m. start at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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Northwestern Notes vs. UIS – Nov. 4, 2016
• Northwestern improves to 4-0 in exhibition games under head coach Chris Collins.
• Freshman guard Isiah Brown made his debut, finishing with a game-high 18 points. It's the second straight year that a freshman has led Northwestern in scoring in its exhibition game. Aaron Falzon led the Wildcats with 15 points in a last year's 80-64 win over Quincy.
• Redshirt sophomore Vic Law returned to the Northwestern lineup after missing the entire 2015-16 regular season due to injury. Law posted 11 points and 3 rebounds Friday.
• This is the fourth straight year that the Wildcats faced an exhibition foe that is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. NU defeated Quincy 80-64 last season, McKendree 102-52 in 2014 and Lewis 57-46 in 2013.
• Friday's exhibition game was the first of 19 home games for Northwestern during the 2016-17 season.
• Northwestern opens its regular season at home next Friday, Nov. 11 against Mississippi Valley State.