Tim Doyle flailed and flew. He drove through the lane, constantly tossing up what looked like junk.
Most of the time, it went in.
But the junior’s career-high 20 points were more than just an awe-inspiring novelty in Northwestern’s Big Ten-opening 66-53 win against Purdue on Wednesday. They served as more than just convenient support for senior everything Vedran Vukusic, who dropped 28 points in another ho-hum 9-for-13 performance.
They were a necessity.
Jordan had his Pippen. Shaq had his Kobe. For one night, Vukusic had his No. 2 guy in Doyle.
And he’ll need that No. 2 guy more.
NU is 5-4 when Vukusic reaches 20 points, and 3-0 when he doesn’t. It seems the all-Big Ten candidate chugs along every game, putting up his 20-plus points and hoping one of his teammates will join him.
When a teammate does, the Cats are – to this point – infallible. NU is 7-0 when someone not named Vukusic puts 13 or more on the board.
That someone can be anyone, but it has to be someone. The Cats desperately need that No. 2 – especially when coaches like Purdue’s Matt Painter admit to keying on Vukusic and daring the rest of NU’s roster to score.
As it was Wednesday, that second-in-scoring could be Doyle. Like Vukusic, the Long Islander creates matchup nightmares – he’s a 6-foot-5 swingman who can drain a hook shot just as quickly as he can hit a three.
“He’s got that old-man game,” Painter said. “You see a lot of guys like that at noon ball.”
This season Doyle is averaging 10 points and just short of five assists per game – up from 4.6 and 2.4 a year ago. He also has reached or bested his previous career scoring high – 13 points – five times this season.
Still, Doyle can be frustrating, at times missing too many shots or forcing too many passes – like an ill-fated, behind-the-back turnover in the first half Wednesday that proved to be one of the few stains on his career night.
But the Cats have other options, like senior guard Mohamed Hachad, whom NU coach Bill Carmody said may return Saturday at Minnesota from his Dec. 28 appendectomy.
Often cited as the second best player on the Cats, Hachad is the only NU player not from Croatia to lead the Cats in scoring this season (a game-high 17 against DePauw in the NU’s 69-36 win Dec. 23).
He also has the will to take over at times. After embarrassingly missing a dunk against Delaware State on Dec. 3, Hachad scored 11 consecutive points in the fourth quarter and overtime, leading NU to a season-saving 61-54 win.
Too bad inconsistent is Hachad’s middle name. He has games of four and two points this year, and has played his way out of Carmody’s starting lineup in each of the last two seasons.
This means every once in a while someone else – a Bernard Cote, a Craig Moore, even a Vince Scott or a Michael Jenkins – has to break out and get the ball in the basket. Otherwise the Cats will continue to be known as nothing more than those smart guys with a complicated offense and that Croatian who can really play.
“I’m counting on him (to score),” Vukusic said of Doyle after the game. “So I’m hoping he continues this throughout the season.”
But it doesn’t have to be Old Man Doyle. It can be anyone.
The Cats simply must find that No. 2, or else Carmody will be spending March No. 6 at home.
Assistant sports editor Patrick Dorsey is a Medill junior. He can be reached at [email protected].
