Tim Doyle scored a season-high 18 points in the win over Utah.Tim Doyle scored a season-high 18 points in the win over Utah.

Wildcats Host Loyola (Md.) Wednesday Night at 7 p.m.

Dec. 26, 2006

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Five-dollar ($5) 300-level seats are available as we recognize Hometown Heroes Joe Kennedy (Glenview, Ill.) and Matt Steger (Northfield, Ill.), both graduates of Loyola Academy High School. Offer valid on the day of the game only.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Winners in seven of their last eight games, the Wildcats (8-3) return home after the Christmas holiday when they welcome in Loyola College (Md.) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Northwestern went 2-1 at the San Juan Shootout Dec. 19-21, highlighted by a 77-44 blowout win over Utah on the final day of the tournament. In that game the Wildcats set a record for the best 3-point shooting percentage (.733) in school history, making 11-of-15 overall. Freshman Kevin Coble was named to the all-tournament team in light of his 20.3 ppg scoring average over the duration of the tournament.

Loyola comes in with a 5-4 record. In its last outing, they dropped a 63-57 decision at High Point despite a team-high 17 points from Marquis Sullivan who leads the team with 25 3-point field goals. Gerald Brown leads the Greyhounds with 21.7 ppg.

A Northwestern Win Would ...

  • Improve the Wildcats to 9-3, marking the best record after the first 12 games since the 1998-99 season when the Wildcats also started 9-3. The best start in the modern era over the first 12 games of the season was 11-1 back in 1982-83.

  • Improve the Wildcats to 7-1 this season at home.

  • Give the Wildcats their eighth win in the last nine games.

    • Last Time Out: NU 77, Utah 44
    Red-hot freshman Kevin Coble led four Northwestern players in double figures with 22 points as the Wildcats put on a clinic, dominating Utah, 77-44. The 33-point victory represented Utah's worst loss in 18 years. Coble, who was named to the all-tournament team, was 8-of-11 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from behind the arc. Northwestern set a school record by shooting 73.3 percent (minimum 10 attempts) from 3-point range, going 11-of-15 overall. It was also the best three-point shooting performance by an opponent vs. Utah. The 'Cats shot 69.2 percent overall from the field--the highest shooting percentage in the Bill Carmody-era and just missed the school record of 70.2 percent set back in 1998. Tim Doyle had his way inside, displaying his patented repertoire of head fakes, up-and-unders and no-look passes. He finished with a season-high 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. The Wildcats reeled off a 16-4 run to open an 11-point lead midway through the first half. Northwestern was 16-of-21 (.762) from the field in the first half and a perfect 6-of-6 from three--five of those coming from Coble. The second half was more of the same, as the 'Cats kept their foot on the gas pedal for the final 20 minutes--holding Utah to just 14 second half points, equaling Utah's second-lowest point total in a half since 1990. Scott and Ivan Tolic put the clamps on Utah's 7-1 center Luke Nevill (19.6 ppg), holding him to nine points and only six shot attempts. Johnnie Bryant, who came in averaging 16.5 ppg, was held to three points on 1-of-6 shooting.

    Noting the Win Over Utah

  • The Wildcats shot a school record 73.3 percent from behind the arc (11-of-15)--minimum 10 attempts.

  • The 69.2 percent shooting for the game was the best shooting percentage since the Wildcats shot 70.2 percent back in 1998 against Troy State.

  • Kevin Coble and Vince Scott were a perfect 5-of-5 and 3-of-3, respectively, from behind the arc, marking the 14th and 15th times an individual has been perfect from 3-point range in the Carmody era.

  • Northwestern outrebounded Utah 22-20 and forced 18 turnovers.

  • Over the last five games, freshman Coble is averaging 19.6 ppg, shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from behind the arc.

  • The 33-point win was the largest margin of victory since defeating Northern Colorado last season 82-47 (35 points).

  • Jason Okrzesik was held scoreless off the bench, but came through with four assists and four steals in 20 minutes of action.

  • The Northwestern defense held Utah to 28 points under its season scoring average of 72 points and held the Utes to 28.0 percent shooting from long range. NU held Utah to 14 second-half points, which equals the Utes' second-lowest point total in a half since 1990.

    • About The Greyhounds

  • The Greyhounds entered their game at High Point with a 5-3 record, defeating North Florida, Maryland-Baltimore County, Delaware, Mount Saint Mary's and Manhattan.

  • Gerald Brown, a transfer from Providence College in the BIG EAST, leads all Greyhound scorers with 22.9 ppg to compliment 5.3 rebounds. Though his scoring is up, he also has committed 40 turnovers on the season, an average of 5.0 per game. He shoots better then 45 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line.

  • Loyola (Md.) plays in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Last season they finished 15-13 overall with an 8-10 mark in league play. They have a total of four starters back from last year's team.

  • Jimmy Patsos is in his third year as the head coach at Loyola in Maryland. After taking over a program that was coming off a one-win season, Loyola's win totals have increased to six in his first season and 15 last year. Last year's winning record (15-13) was the Greyhounds' first since the 1993-94 season. Patsos came to Loyola from Maryland where, as an assistant, he helped guide the Terrapins to 11 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, consecutive trips to the Final Four (2001 and 2002) and the 2002 NCAA Championship.

    • Coble Among Top Big Ten Freshmen
    Freshman Kevin Coble is making an early case for Big Ten All-Freshmen team honors this season. Among conference newcomers, he is fourth in scoring (13.3), rebounding (4.7), steals (1.03) and FT percentage (.813), fifth in 3FG percentage (.425) and sixth in FG percentage (.527). His perfect 5-of-5 shooting performance from behind the arc against Utah is tied for the best 3FG shooting performance in the Big Ten this season among all players.

    Northwestern In The NCAA Ranks
    According to the latest NCAA Division I statistical report released Dec. 17, Northwestern ranks No. 2 nationally in fewest turnovers per game (10.1) and is fourth in scoring defense, giving up just 51.6 ppg. They also are ninth with only 14.9 personal fouls per contest. The Wildcats turned the ball over a season-low five times in the win over cross-town rival DePaul--with two of those coming on shot clock violations. They also kept the TO's in the single digits against Miami (Fla.) with only nine miscues and seven against Wheaton (Ill.). Individually, Tim Doyle is 14th in the nation with 6.3 assists per game while Craig Moore is 50th in 3-point FG percentage (.438).

    'Cats Set 3-Point Shooting Record
    The Wildcats shot a school record 73.3 percent from behind the arc (11-of-15) in the 77-44 win over Utah Dec. 21 at the San Juan Shootout. Further, the 69.2 percent shooting for the game was the best shooting percentage since the Wildcats shot 70.2 percent back in 1998 against Troy State. Those two marks are the best shooting percentages among Big Ten teams this season. The .733 percent from "three" is tied for the third-best in the NCAA ranks this year and the .690 percent from the field overall is the seventh best.

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