Jan. 10, 2006
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The Game
Riding a five-game winning streak, NU looks to extend its streak to six when they host Penn State at 7 p.m. Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats improved to 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in 23 years with Saturday's victory over Minnesota and can move to 3-0 for the first time in 38 years with a win Wednesday night.
Penn State lost to Ohio State in its conference opener last week, 104-69, snapping its four-game winning streak. The Lions are a much improved team from the previous two seasons, having already surpassed their win total from a year ago.
A Northwestern Win Would ...
Vukusic Honored
Senior forward Vedran Vukusic was been named the Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Wildcats to a perfect 2-0 start in the Big Ten. Vukusic averaged 22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game as the Wildcats picked up wins at home over Purdue and on the road against Minnesota. In the 66-53 victory over the Boilermakers Wednesday, Jan. 7 he finished the game tying a season high with 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while going 8-of-9 from the free throw line. He hit his first five shots and had 20 points at halftime. He also connected on two from downtown and had three steals. Vukusic then led all players with 17 points, while also tallying seven rebounds and two blocks in a 57-49 road victory over Minnesota. He hit 3-of-5 from behind the arc and played the entire 40 minutes, helping the 'Cats to their first 2-0 start in the Big Ten in 23 years.
Vukusic finished the week shooting 64 percent from the field (16-of-25), 5-of-9 from three-point range (.556) and 8-of-9 from the free throw line (.889). Vukusic, who currently leads the Big Ten in scoring with 21.8 points per game, has led the Wildcats in scoring in 12-of-13 contests this season.
A Look at the 'Cats
Senior Vedran Vukusic has been carrying the load offensively for the Wildcats this season. The senior from Croatia leads the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally with 21.8 points per game. Vukusic has accounted for 36 percent of Northwestern's offense this season and has scored 20 or more points in 9-of-13 games, including a season-high 28 twice: in the win over Charlotte at the BCA Invitational in November and in the win over Purdue Jan. 4. Vukusic ranks 12th in the Big Ten in FT percentage (.797), 9th in FG percentage (.554), 10th in steals (1.46) and 11th in 3FG made per game (2.1). He is second in minutes played (36.3) behind MInnesota's Adam Boone.
Senior Mohamed Hachad has busted out of a scoring slump with 56 points (14.0 ppg) in his last four games after recording just 14 in the previous three. Hachad broke out in a big way in the win over Delaware State, scoring a season-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, added 12 second half points against UIC and 10 in the win at Seton Hall before his 17-point output against DePauw. He has cleaned up on the glass, averaging a team-best 5.2 rebounds per game, including nine in the win over Charlotte, tying his personal best. He is averaging 9.8 points per game and leads the team with 1.8 steals, ranking him fourth in the Big Ten in that category.
*Hachad had appendectomy surgery Dec. 28 and has missed the last three games ... he is available to play and may see time against Penn State.
Junior Tim Doyle has done just about everything this year for the 'Cats. When they have needed him to pass, he has found the open man (4.7 apg). When they have needed him to rebound he has (4.2, 2nd on the team). When NU's second leading scorer Mohamed Hachad sat out the Big Ten opener, he came through with a career-high 20 points. The Merrick, N.Y. native is averaging a team-best 4.7 assists, currently ranking him eighth in the Big Ten, to go along with 9.7 points and 4.2 rebounds. He is coming off the best offensive game of his career with 20 points in the win over Purdue on 8-of-11 shooting, including two three pointers. Doyle had a career-best seven assists against UIC and is shooting 79.4 percent (27-of-34) from the free throw line.
True freshman Craig Moore has become a regular in the starting lineup for the 'Cats. He has emerged of late to score 44 points (11.0 ppg) over the last four games and is shooting 56.0 percent (14-of-25) from behind the arc. He had his best performance of the year with 15 points (on five 3-pointers) at Minnesota Saturday and had 12 points (on four 3-pointers) and eight rebounds in the win over DePauw Dec. 23. More importantly, he has impressed many with his ball-handling and decision making with 31 assists and just 10 turnovers this season. Moore had six assists in the win over Purdue Jan. 4, tying his season-high.
Redshirt freshman Sterling Williams (3.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg) has improved steadily and has been more aggressive of late on both ends of the floor. In his last six games, he has 40 points (6.6), 12 steals (2.0) and 20 rebounds (3.3). He had his best offensive performance of the year with 15 points and six assists at Minnesota and 11 points and three steals in the win over Northern Colorado. He had a season-high seven rebounds in the win over Purdue Jan. 4.
Bernard Coté enjoyed one of the best games of his career and his best as a Wildcat with a career-high 14 points in the win over Northern Colorado Jan. 1. Coté is averaging 7.5 points over his last four games and has started the last six games at the forward position. He tallied career-highs with seven rebounds and three assists in the win at Minnesota.
Junior Vince Scott has produced in the middle with 4.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He tied a career-high with nine boards in the win at Seton Hall to compliment four assists, two blocks and one steal. He had his best offensive game of the season with 12 points and four assists in the win over Northern Colorado.
A Glance At The Lions
Penn State has one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten Conference with a sophomore and freshman as its top two offensive threats. Geary Claxton, a sophomore, leads the team in scoring with 15.0 ppg and was named to the 2005 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He also leads the team with 6.4 rebounds. Freshman Jamelle Cornley is second on with 12.9 points per game.
The Lions are fifth in the Big Ten with 73.5 points per game and scored a season-high 93 points in the win over Nicholls State Nov. 23. They also rank among the Big Ten leaders in assists with 17.4 per game, good for third in the conference.
The Series
Wednesday is the 28th meeting between the two schools. Penn State leads the all-time series 16-11, though Northwestern has won six of the last eight, including last year's game in Evanston. Head coach Bill Carmody is 6-3 vs. Penn State since coming to Northwestern in 2000. NU leads 7-6 in games played in Evanston and has not won here since 2000.
Penn State Mentor Ed DeChellis
Ed DeChellis is in his third year at the helm of the Penn State Nittany Lion basketball team. During his rebuilding process, DeChellis has already helped Penn State claim its first ever members of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. In two-plus seasons he has recorded a 24-46 record at Penn State and a 129-139 overall in 10-plus years. Prior to his arrival in University Park, DeChellis was the head coach at East Tennessee State for seven seasons, leading the Buccaneers to the NCAA Tournament in 2003.
Vukusic Cracks Top 10
With 17 points in the win at Minnesota Jan. 7, Vedran Vukusic moved into sole possession of 10th place on Northwestern's all-time scoring list (1,332). He recently passed up the legendary Joe Ruklick (1956-59; 1,315) and Dale Kelly (1967-70; 1,310) who are now 11th and 12th all-time, respectively. At his current scoring rate of 21.8 ppg, Vukusic is on pace to finish third among the all-time scoring greats in Wildcat history behind Billy McKinney (1,900 points; 1973-77) and Evan Eschmeyer (1,805 points; 1995-99).