BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — When Mohamed Hachad scored 10 or more points, Northwestern had never lost.
Until Saturday.
Despite 18 points from Hachad — 14 in the first half — the Wildcats couldn’t match Indiana (8-6, 2-1 Big Ten) and dropped a 73-62 decision to the Hoosiers, tainting NU’s 6-0 record with Hachad in double digits.
With Vedran Vukusic, one of NU’s offensive catalysts, nursing a knee injury, Hachad picked up the slack, leading the team in scoring and rebounding.
The sophomore was particularly strong in the first half, making 6-of-7 shots. He kept NU in the game, draining a pair of 3-pointers and driving down the lane for three running layups.
“He was just hustling his tail off in the first half,” coach Bill Carmody said. “He got a lot of loose balls, got his hand on the ball, got some easy baskets and knocked down a couple of shots.”
Hachad caught the Hoosiers’ eyes and couldn’t duplicate his performance in the second half. The Cats (7-8, 2-2), down just one at the break, were outscored 47-37 in the final 20 minutes.
And with Hachad no longer driving the offense, NU wasn’t able to mount much of a challenge, as the rest of the supporting cast failed to step up.
Although Hachad notched just four points in the second half, he continued to play with intensity, constantly fighting for loose balls and grabbing tough rebounds.
“It’s not about scoring, it’s about playing hard,” said Hachad, whose two steals led NU. “When you play hard on defense, things fall back in place. You just do your thing on defense and the offense is going to work itself out.”
Hachad, who didn’t score against Mississippi Valley State and Michigan, said he’s convinced his offensive slump is over. And with Vukusic out, Carmody asked Hachad to take at least 11 shots a game. He made 8-of-12 attempts Saturday.
But Hachad can’t carry the team on his shoulders just yet.
“Jitim’s always playing hard, Mohamed’s playing hard,” guard T.J. Parker said. “I just didn’t see any energy from anybody else.”
Vukusic probably won’t play Wednesday against the Spartans, so the Cats will need another high-scoring game from Hachad. But as NU learned Saturday, that won’t guarantee a win.
The squad has just two scholarship players on its bench, meaning Carmody can’t give his starters much rest.
“We looked tired out there. I wish I could have subbed a little bit,” Carmody said. “Even though Mohamed was playing well, I thought he needed a little breather in there.”
