CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When Vedran Vukusic’s first three shots didn’t fall, Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said he knew his team was in for a long game.
For about 30 minutes, his Wildcats proved him wrong. But No. 23 Illinois ran away with the game midway through the second half and defeated NU, 66-56, on Saturday before a sold-out Assembly Hall. It avenged Illinois’ 70-60 loss to NU on Jan. 14 in Evanston.
“We have to put two halves together and finish the game,” Cats guard Jitim Young said.
The defeat dropped NU (12-13, 7-7 Big Ten) into a three-way tie with Purdue and Michigan for fifth place in the conference standings. With two league games left — both at home — the Cats must win each of them to finish above .500 in regular-season play and be assured postseason eligibility.
Illinois (20-5, 11-3) extended its unbeaten streak to eight games and moved to within a half game of Michigan State, which sits atop the Big Ten.
Although just six NU scholarship players saw action Saturday, the team managed to keep pace with Illinois in the first half. But after the intermission, the Cats apparently became tired and found themselves facing a 17-point deficit with 5:31 left in the game.
“I felt a swing a little bit there and in the second half I thought we wore down a little,” coach Bill Carmody said. “They seemed faster than we were … and there was a lot more movement in their offense.”
In the first half, Mohamed Hachad gave NU a 29-27 lead after sinking two free throws with 1:23 remaining, but then Illinois went on a 5-0 spurt.
In the final minute of the opening period, guard Dee Brown nailed a three and center Nick Smith hit a jumper with two seconds left, giving Illinois a 32-29 advantage.
Illinois continued to cruise in the second half, while the Cats cooled off after shooting 52.4 percent from the field before the break. NU finished the game at 43.1 percent shooting.
With his team tailing off in the second half, Young said he told his teammates to up their energy level and emotion.
“Everybody was playing with so much passion,” he said of NU’s first-half effort. “We were competing in the second half, but with the run Illinois made … we came out a little lackluster and we picked it up later than we should have.”
While Illinois coach Bruce Weber turned to his bench throughout the afternoon to rest his starters, Carmody had no such luxury.
The Cats’ coach opted not to use Vince Scott, who turned his ankle during practice Thursday. Guard Evan Seacat didn’t make the trip to Champaign and missed his third straight game since sustaining a concussion Feb. 14. Carmody said Seacat won’t play Wednesday.
Guard Josh Grier, who had the flu, also stayed in Evanston
The Cats’ lack of depth became more apparent in the second half when they began to fade. NU shot 37 percent from the field after halftime, including 20 percent from beyond the arc. The Cats struggled to connect from the outside for much of the game, and made only 6-of-25 long-range shots.
Vukusic (16 points), Young (16) and Hachad (14) accounted for almost all of the Cats’ offense, combining for 46 of the team’s 56 points.
For the most part, Illinois’ guard Deron Williams contained Young, who scored eight points in the final five minutes of the game. By then, it was too late for NU to erase Illinois’ lead.
“When Jitim (Young) got the ball, they were on him to make him throw it out,” Carmody said. “When that happens you have to make them pay, and we missed.”
Illinois, however, converted 54.2 percent of its shots on the game and had four players score in double figures.
“We’ve got everybody rolling right now,” Williams said. “Everything’s clicking for us.”
The Cats, on the other hand, said they’re looking to regroup before the season’s final stretch.
