The Northwestern men’s basketball team’s game against Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday afternoon didn’t provide much joy. It also didn’t prompt anyone to start buying tickets for a postseason tournament.
But what the matchup against the Rams did show was that this year’s NU squad is more mature and, at last, has some veteran leadership.
The Wildcats staved off brief spurts by Virginia Commonwealth and survived scattered lackadaisical moments of their own to knock off the Rams, 78-73, in the opening game of the Black Coaches Association Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.
“It was a good win for us because in our first two exhibition games we weren’t really tested,” NU head coach Bill Carmody said. “This game we got off to a good start, shot the ball well and defended well.”
NU will face East Carolina in the semifinal game at 8 p.m. tonight.
The Cats’ offense clicked right away as the team jumped to a 26-10 lead midway through the first half. Freshman forward Vedran Vukusic hit NU’s first basket — a three-pointer — and finished the game an impressive 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Vukusic tallied 16 points overall.
NU showed a balanced attack throughout the game. Four Cats scored in double digits, led by sophomore guard Jitim Young, who had 19 points. And while NU shot just 40.4 percent from the field, it connected on 50 percent of its three-pointers.
The Cats’ defensive prowess early in the game also helped them open up a sizeable lead. NU allowed just 10 points in the first 14 minutes of the game.
The hot hands cooled off, however. NU held a 12-point lead at halftime, but Virginia Commonwealth quickly cut into that deficit. The Rams were able to stay within 10 points of the Cats for most of the second half.
“We started lollygagging, I think,” junior forward Winston Blake said. “We just have to bring both halves into play. There was a stretch where they had a run and (we) just weren’t really taking care of the ball.”
NU’s inability to nail jumpers also allowed Virginia Commonwealth to hang around.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” Carmody said, “and that’s how you put teams away.”
But the Cats didn’t crack when they found themselves battling through tough situations late in the game, thanks in large part to the leadership of senior forward Tavaras Hardy. The Rams put Hardy on the free throw line in the closing minutes, and Hardy was able to convert, helping NU maintain its lead. He ended the game with 15 points.
“Near the end of the game, he started playing like his veteran self,” Blake said of Hardy.
Down the stretch, the Rams had an opportunity on three separate occasions to cut into NU’s five-point lead, but they failed each time. The Cats often crumbled in close situations last season, but they showed resiliency on Wednesday.
“Virginia Commonwealth wouldn’t go away,” Carmody said. “They just stretched the game out.
“I was generally happy with a lot of the things we did.”
But one thing that had the coach shaking his head was his team’s 18 turnovers.
“I think we tried to force a few things instead of letting it come to us,” Carmody said.
Despite the mistakes, the final score still gave the Cats a season-opening victory — plus a big confidence boost.
“We got our first win of the season — it felt good to get that under your belt,” Blake said. “There’s so much room for improvement. That’s what’s exciting. We played well, but we could have played a hell of a lot better.”
