IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Wildcats hadn’t won a Big Ten road game in almost two years. They also hadn’t won at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 10 years.
But after arguably its best performance of the season, the Northwestern men’s basketball team ended these two unsightly streaks. The Cats upset Iowa 77-68 in front of 13,352.
NU (6-7, 1-1 Big Ten) led almost the entire way in a commanding victory that snapped a four-game losing streak and an 11-game road skid versus Big Ten opponents. It was just NU’s second win at Iowa (8-4, 1-1) in 40 years.
“I’ve been down in the dumps and it’s probably been affecting my guys a little bit,” Carmody said. “I didn’t see too many answers, too many solutions.”
Carmody didn’t have to look far for answers.
Forward Vedran Vukusic powered the Cats’ offense with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Three other Cats scored in double figures — guards T.J. Parker and Mohamed Hachad and reserve Davor Duvancic.
Parker finished with 11 points, five assists and four steals, while Hachad added 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, four assists and four steals. Carmody did not call the victory a statement game, but said he was particularly pleased with the play of Parker and Hachad. The guards combined for only seven points in the past two games.
“Parker and Hachad have not been playing well,” Carmody said. “And I said, ‘Of course fellas, you’re taking three, four and five shots a game, how are you going to play well? … I can do what you’re doing out there.’ They turned themselves around.”
Parker and Hachad’s efforts took the load off guard Jitim Young, the Cats’ leading scorer. Hawkeyes guard Pierre Pierce held Young to eight points in 35 minutes, but that hardly mattered.
“Whenever you get an intense T.J. Parker and intense Mohamed Hachad it makes the game so much easier to play,” Young said. “I told T.J., ‘Welcome back,’ because he hasn’t been around for a while. I know when TJ is playing well because I can never get a word in the huddle because he’s trying to talk too. When you see that guy come out with that emotion and effort today, it was huge and we needed it.”
Parker, who directed the Cats’ offense said he finally felt comfortable, after slumping over the last few games.
“I wasn’t fired (up) like I used to be,” Parker said. “I didn’t do that for the past four games. Today I got that back and was really excited.”
The Cats’ 1-3-1 zone defense disrupted the Hawkeyes, preventing them from establishing a rhythm throughout the game. NU led 38-29 at the half, but Iowa roared back in the second with runs of 6-0 and 10-0. But the Cats answered each and led by as many as 15 points.
NU exploited the Hawkeyes’ defense, scoring 36 points in the paint. It also forced 21 Iowa turnovers.
“They got some backcourt layups that we haven’t given up in a couple of years,” Iowa coach Steve Alford said. “It was a pretty frustrating night defensively and it was hard to watch that many turnovers.”
While the Cats reveled in their victory, they realize conference play has just begun.
“We just had a great game,” Hachad said. “(But) we don’t have too much time to celebrate.”
