Feb. 11, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. - The last time Northwestern played Iowa in men's basketball, the Wildcats made a staggering run to overcome a late double-digit deficit and win at the buzzer.
The last time Northwestern played anyone in basketball -- Minnesota on Wednesday night -- the Wildcats made a staggering run to overcome a late double-digit deficit and win at the buzzer.
Northwestern vs. Iowa
Saturday, Feb. 12 * 7 p.m. CST
Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa)
TV: ESPN+ Regional (Larry Morgan, play-by-play; Mac McCausland, analyst)
Click here to view TV clearances
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Bob Hildebrand, analyst)
Wednesday's win over the Gophers bore an eerie resemblance to NU's victory 17 days ago vs. the Hawkeyes, with one striking difference -- it came on the road. Not an insignificant fact, given it was the Wildcats' first of 2004-05.
"I think it is good to get right back on the road after winning one," said NU head coach Bill Carmody. "Losses stay with you, but wins do too. Wednesday's win was great for our psyche."
T.J. Parker was the hero in hitting Wednesday's game-winner -- the finishing touch on a season-high 19-point night -- but a lot of his teammates set the table for the fantastic finish. Vedran Vukusic hit just one three-pointer on the night, but it came with 1:11 left and NU down by five; Vince Scott hit a pair of treys, including the tying basket with 44 seconds remaining; and Mohamed Hachad knocked down a critical layup at one end while silencing Minnesota's Vince Grier (32 points in the first 36 minutes, none in the final four).
"We never seemed panicky," said Carmody. "We never pressed, and when the guys needed to make big plays they made them."
Northwestern rolls into Carver-Hawkeye with a sudden burst of confidence -- not surprising, given the 'Cats have won two in a row (they beat Purdue last Saturday) and the fact that they won here a year ago. The question now is, can they justify that sentiment?
Did You Know?
According to Stats, Inc., Northwestern entered the week leading the nation in assist-to-field goal ratio for the season; the Wildcats have a .699 ratio (320 assists on 458 baskets). Saturday against Purdue, the Wildcats had 16 assists on 20 buckets, propelling them past Sam Houston State (.697) into the national lead in that category.
The Series with Iowa
Today marks the 154th meeting between the Wildcats and the Hawkeyes in men's basketball; Iowa leads the series, 103-50.
NU has won three in a row against the Hawkeyes--75-74 in overtime at Welsh-Ryan on Jan. 26, and both meetings last year (77-68 in Iowa City, 51-49 in Evanston). The last time the 'Cats won three straight over Iowa was 1931-33 (the tail end of a seven-game win streak).
NU head coach Bill Carmody is 5-4 against Iowa.