Don’t look now, but Bill Carmody and company are about to make things interesting.
With its season flat-lining, Northwestern pulled out all the stops Thursday, using a smooth transition offense and improved rebounding en route to an 83-64 victory over Big Ten rival Iowa. Freshman point guard Dave Sobolewski once again played all 40 minutes, but reverted to his impressive form in scoring 23 points.
“Juice [Thompson] and I have been joking about how people think I hit a wall,” Sobo said, addressing the criticism that the freshman had been ineffective as of late.
For his part, Coach Bill Carmody never lost faith in his young point guard. “I’m coaching that kid hard…he’s a competitor, he listens,” Carmody said.
With the win, the Wildcats improved to 5-6 in conference play and appear to have found some much-needed momentum as the 2011-12 campaign hits its key stretch.
The numbers:
13 – Three-pointers knocked down by the home team at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday. Northwestern was nearly automatic from behind the arc at 52 percent: freshman phenom Dave Sobolewski was 3-3 from downtown, while juniors Reggie Hearn, John Shurna and Alex Marcotullio each hit three three-pointers as well.
6 – Fouls administered by Iowa in the first three minutes of the second half. Four Hawkeyes racked up at least three fouls on Thursday night, as Iowa struggled to keep up with Northwestern’s ferocious fast-break game. With the ‘Cats perpetually in the bonus, they were able to pick up sixteen points from the charity stripe.
3 – Points produced by the Wildcats’ bench, a testament to Northwestern’s dwindling depth and several tough breaks experienced this season. On the other end of the spectrum, Iowa earned 20 points — nearly a third of their entire offensive total — from their second-stringers.
0 – Losses for Carmody’s ‘Cats when broadcasted by ESPNU this year. Northwestern remained undefeated in games telecasted by “the U” after Thursday’s definitive performance.
Play of the game:
With 16:30 remaining in the first half and the visiting Hawkeyes clinging to a one-point lead, forward Reggie Hearn forced a crucial turnover, stealing the ball and pushing it up court to NU stand-out Drew Crawford. Crawford delivered a baseline lay-up that gave the Wildcats a one-point advantage. Welsh-Ryan was rocking off its hinges, and Crawford and his comrades never looked back.
Where does Northwestern stand?
The Wildcats were spectacular against Iowa, thoroughly out-playing their opponents on both ends of the court. Just a week ago, Northwestern’s hopes for an invitation to the Big Dance seemed laughably unrealistic. Now, with three straight Big Ten wins and some serious confidence, the ‘Cats just may be primed for a late-season run.
What’s most significant about Thursday’s victory is the continued progression of Sobolewski on the offensive end. Despite consecutive efforts with double-digit scoring, the freshman one-guard still entered this game averaging 8.8 points per contest. With his 23 points on Thursday, though, it shows the development of a third offensive option for the Wildcats. With pressure off of Shurna and Crawford, the ‘Cats can wreak havoc in the back-court.
Sunday’s make-or-break game against Purdue becomes all the more winnable with three bona-fide scoring threats. Factor in Shurna and Sobolewski’s durability and the ‘Cats just may claw their way into tournament discussion come March.