EVANSTON, Ill. — Senior forward Vic Law led the Wildcats with a game-high 17 points as Northwestern fell to Rutgers, 59-56, in a back-and-forth affair at the new Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday. The game featured seven lead changes before the Scarlet Knights pulled away to split the series between the teams this season.
 
Law's high scoring performance included a pair of three-pointers in the final two minutes to keep the Wildcats within one possession down the stretch. The double-digit performance marks the 10th time this season the senior captain has scored 10-plus points and the 66th time of his career.
 
Redshirt junior A.J. Turner dished out a team high four assists, while adding 11 points — his eighth double-digit scoring performance of the season.
 
Sophomore guard Anthony Gaines led the team with six rebounds for his tenth game of the season with five-plus rebounds.
 
The first half featured both teams playing defensive-minded basketball, with the score knotted at 22 apiece going into the break. The Wildcats forced Rutgers into ten first half turnovers and held them to one-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Graduate guard Ryan Taylor got the Wildcats off to a hot start, hitting his first three field goal attempts for seven of the 'Cats first nine points. He ended with nine points and two steals.
 
Northwestern's defense forced the Scarlet Knights into 16 turnovers in the game, the most against a Big Ten opponent this season.
 
Northwestern will return to the hardwood on Thursday, Feb. 16 to face Nebraska in the first of two-straight on the road. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
 

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