Wildcats Outrun Nebraska For Big Ten Road Win In Lincoln

Sunday, January 8

Lincoln, Neb.

1:15 p.m.

Northwestern

13-4, 2-2

Nebraska

9-7, 3-1

Northwestern

Nebraska

Photo by: Dennis Hubbard

Wildcats Outrun Nebraska For Big Ten Road Win In Lincoln

1/8/2017 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights Coach Collins Postgame McIntosh/Pardon Postgame

Four Wildcats score in double-figures

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Northwestern and Nebraska traded double-digit runs Sunday in Lincoln, with the Wildcats handing the Huskers their first conference defeat in a 74-66 NU victory. Scottie Lindsey (19), Vic Law (15), Dererk Pardon (13) and Bryant McIntosh (11) all scored in double figures for Northwestern.

The Wildcats struggled from the field to open the game, connecting on only one of their first six attempts prior to the first media timeout as Nebraska jumped out to an 8-2 lead.

The deficit grew to eight before a basket by Dererk Pardon and a 3-pointer by Nathan Taphorn got the 'Cats back within three, 10-7. A triple by Gavin Skelly and a layup by Scottie Lindsey capped a 10-2 run that leveled the game at 12.

The Wildcats eventually took their first lead of the game at the midway point of the stanza when Skelly converted a three-point play to put NU up 17-14. Back-to-back treys by Vic Law extended Northwestern's advantage to 23-18 by the penultimate media timeout of the period as the 'Cats connected on five straight field goal attempts.

Law stayed red-hot after the break as a third straight 3-pointer made it 26-18. Nebraska closed to within four, but Bryant McIntosh hit NU's sixth triple of the half to make it 33-23.

However, things unraveled for the Wildcats over the final two minutes of the stanza. Northwestern turnovers opened the door for the Cornhuskers who scored the final 14 points of the period to take a 37-33 lead at the intermission.

Nebraska extended its lead to seven early in the second half but a triple by Skelly got the Wildcats back within four. The deficit was five when Law hit his fourth 3-pointer in as many attempts to make it 47-45. When Scottie Lindsey nailed his first trey of the game, it allowed Northwestern to reclaim a 48-47 lead.

Tied at 50, the 3-point parade continued for the Wildcats as makes from beyond the arch by Lindsey and Law (fifth in as many attempts) put NU in front by six just past the midway point of the half.

Nebraska closed to within two, but consecutive buckets in the paint by Pardon pushed the lead back to six and forced the hosts to burn a timeout with 6:58 remaining.

Three free throws by Lindsey extended the advantage to seven. Nebraska made it a two-possession game, but Sanjay Lumpkin scored on a layup and Pardon hit one free throw to push NU's lead to 68-60 with 2:33 remaining.

The Huskers converted an three-point play with 50 seconds remaining, but Lindsey hit a pair of free throws on the next possession to allow Northwestern to hold on for the win.

Northwestern returns to action at 8 p.m. Central time Thursday when it travels to Rutgers. The Wildcats return home Sunday, Jan. 15 when they take on Iowa at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Tip time is 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available at NUsports.com or by calling 888-GO-PURPLE.

BUY TICKETS TO NORTHWESTERN'S NEXT HOME GAME JAN. 15 AGAINST IOWA!

Northwestern Notes vs. Nebraska
Jan. 8, 2017
• Junior guard Bryant McIntosh moved into sole possession of second place in career assists at Northwestern. McIntosh had 4 assists in Sunday's game and now has 456 in his career, the most of any active non-senior in the nation.
• Sunday's contest was the third of four for Northwestern on the road among their first five games of the Big Ten season.
• Northwestern's 11 3-pointers in the contest match a season high accomplished three other times.
• The Wildcats posted a season-best .510 field goal percentage (25-49). The team's previous best this season was .500 vs. Mississippi Valley State Nov. 11.
• Vic Law made his first five 3-point attempts in the game. It is the second time this season that he has hit each of his first five tries from beyond the arch. He also started 5-for-5 at Butler Nov. 16. The five 3-points match Law's career high.
• After posting a career-high 28 points in last year's game at Nebraska, Dererk Pardon reached double figures for the third time this season, tallying 13 points on Sunday.
• Northwestern's 13-for-14 effort from the free throw line (.929) is its best since going 14 for 15 (.933) vs. New Orleans Nov. 28, 2015. Coupled with a 12-for-13 performance against Minnesota last Thursday, the Wildcats are 25 of 27 from the charity stripe over the last two games (.926).
• Scottie Lindsey (5-5) and Bryant McIntosh (4-4) were perfect in a combined nine free throw attempts Sunday. In Big Ten play, the duo is shooting a combined 27 of 28 from the charity stripe (.964).
• With a game-high 19 points Sunday, Scottie Lindsey now has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season.

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