March 3, 2009
NU Game Notes vs. Purdue (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern looks to tie the school record for regular-season wins as it travels to 19th-ranked Purdue Wednesday night. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. Central time. The Big Ten Network is televising the game live with Craig Coshun and Shon Morris on the call.
The contest can be heard on 720 AM-WGN and online at wgnradio.com with Dave Eanet and Bob Hildebrand.
NU posted 17 regular-season wins in 1982-83 and competed in the NIT that year, finishing with an 18-12 record. Wednesday's contest opens the final week of the regular season with the Wildcats concluding their slate at Ohio State Sunday.
The 'Cats are coming off a 55-49 Senior Day win Saturday over Iowa. Kevin Coble led NU with 16 points and nine rebounds while Big Ten Player of the Week Michael Thompson added 14 points. Northwestern limited the Hawkeyes to 37.3 percent shooting, including 32.3 percent in the second half.
Series History: Purdue leads, 116-41
Last Meeting: Northwestern was unable to hold on to a 14-point second-half lead as Purdue rallied back to beat the Wildcats 63-61 in Evanston Jan. 15.
Scouting Purdue
The Boilermakers (22-7, 11-5) are coming off a convincing 75-50 home win over Ohio State Saturday. Robbie Hummel paced Purdue with 17 points as the hosts used a 17-2 second-half run to pull away.
Sophomore guard E'Twaun Moore leads a balanced Purdue scoring effort with an average of 14.0 points per game. Sophomore forward/center JaJuan Johnson contributes 13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and a conference-leading 2.24 blocks per contest.
Matt Painter has a 78-47 record in four seasons at Purdue and a 103-52 mark in five overall years as a head coach.
Thompson Earns Player of the Week Honors
For the first time since the Big Ten began issuing the Player of the Week award during the 1981-82 season, NU has had three different players earn the honor in the same year. Michael Thompson became the latest 'Cat to earn the honore when he was recognized Monday. The sophomore point guard averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in the Wildcats' wins over Indiana and Iowa. After scoring 16 points in the historic victory over the Hoosiers, Thompson tallied 14 against the Hawkeyes. With the Wildcats trailing by seven midway through the second half, he hit 3-pointers on three-straight possessions to tie the game and help lead Northwestern to the triumph.
Success Under Carmody
Northwestern enters the contest at Purdue with a 7-9 Big Ten record. In head coach Bill Carmody's nine seasons in Evanston, the Wildcats have recorded at least six Big Ten victories five times. The program totaled six or more conference wins just five times in the previous 31 years prior to Carmody's arrival.
Up Next...
Northwestern concludes its regular season Sunday with a 4 p.m. Central time game at Ohio State.