Jan. 25, 2006
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Box Score | Notes
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Vedran Vukusic scored eight of his 29 points in overtime, leading Northwestern to a 78-76 win over Purdue on Wednesday night.
Vukusic drilled 12-of-19 field goals, a career high, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range.
Mohamed Hachad added 20 points for the Wildcats (10-8, 3-4 Big Ten). He drained a career-best four treys (on five attempts), helping him finish with a season-high scoring total.
Marcus White, Bryant Dillon and Matt Kiefer each scored 18 points for the Boilermakers (7-11, 1-6), who have now lost five straight games to the Wildcats.
The win gave Northwestern its first two-game season sweep over Purdue since the 1951 season.
Dillon hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 11.8 seconds left in regulation and time running out on the shot clock to give the Boilermakers a 66-63 lead.
Unfazed, Northwestern called timeout and called on true-freshman Craig Moore who came off a screen and hit a contested 3-pointer from the right wing with 0.9 seconds left to force overtime.
Vukusic took over in the overtime period, scoring eight of NU's 12 points in the period and broke Purdue's back with his second three-pointer of the overtime to give NU a 76-72 lead with 54 seconds remaining.
Purdue led 23-18 in the first half before the Wildcats hit four 3-pointers, including two by Hachad, to take a 30-28 halftime lead. Hachad had 13 points at the break, better than his average of 10 points per game.
The Boilermakers outrebounded the Wildcats 17-5 and shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but still trailed at halftime because of 10 turnovers and poor defense.
Northwestern hit 12-of-29 3-pointers overall, a season-high.
Purdue outrebounded the Wildcats 33-15 and shot 57 percent from the field.
Northwestern is back in action at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Indiana.