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Northwestern is trying to end a two-game skid.
It was a very entertaining first half in the matchup between Northwestern and No. 7 Michigan St, as the Wildcats executed their offense to near perfection to take the 39-37 lead at halftime.
Although they didn't shoot the bell exceptionally well from the field, hitting just 46.4% of their shots, the Wildcats were quite impressive offensively. As a team, the Wildcats assisted on 10 of their 13 made field goals. Davide Curletti led the way in the opening half with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists in the opening 20 minutes. John Shurna and Drew Crawford each added nine points. Dave Sobolewski controlled the tempo to perfection, dishing out five assists.
The Spartans were even more efficient offensively, hitting 65% of their shots from the field. Draymond Green led the way with nine points on 3/3 shooting from behind the arc. Green also had four rebounds and two assists in the opening half.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, visit Northwestern blog Sippin' On Purple and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. For more from around college hoops, check out SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.
Northwestern already has played Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois in early Big Ten conference play, and the schedule doesn't get any easier on Saturday when the Wildcats host a Spartans team that hasn't lost a game since Nov. 15.
If the Wildcats are going to get back on the winning track, they'll have to find a way to slow what has been a very effective Michigan State offense. Especially crucial will be defensive rebounds, which has been an area of struggle for Northwestern this season. Michigan State shoots well, so taking advantage of the shots the Spartans do miss and holding them to one-and-done possessions will be crucial.
Date & Time: Saturday, Jan. 14. 2:00 p.m. CT
TV: Big Ten Network
Odds: Michigan State is favored by 4-1/2 points.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, visit Northwestern blog Sippin' On Purple and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. For more from around college hoops, check out SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.
Northwestern Vs. Michigan St. Score Update: Wildcats Cruise To Upset Victory
After coming up just short in its past two games, Northwestern left nothing to chance against No. 7 Michigan St., as the Wildcats delivered a dominant offensive performance to pick up the key 81-74 victory.
Northwestern executed its offense to near perfection, shooting 50% from the field as a team. The Wildcats dished out 18 assists and committed only six turnovers in the victory. John Shurna led the offense with 22 points, while Drew Crawford added 20 points and Davide Curletti scored 17. Curletti also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and dished out four assists.
Michigan St. was uncharacteristically sloppy on the offensive end of the court. The Spartans committed 12 turnovers and shot only 45.3% from the field. Draymond Green scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the loss. Keith Appling was the only other player to score in double-figures, netting a team-high 17 points.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, visit Northwestern blog Sippin' On Purple and Michigan State blog The Only Colors. For more from around college hoops, check out SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.
Jan 14 4:21p by Max Mandel