Indiana University Athletics
Wilmont's Career High Propels Hoosiers To Victory
2/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 1, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Roderick Wilmont scored a career-high 23 points in his first start this season, and little-used guard Errek Suhr provided a second-half spark to help No. 22 Indiana beat Northwestern 72-63 on Wednesday night.
The Hoosiers (13-5, 5-3) snapped a two-game losing streak by winning their 34th straight home game over the Wildcats. They have also won 13 straight Big Ten home games.
Vedran Vukusic scored 18 points and Mohamed Hachad added 14 for Northwestern (10-9, 3-5), which has lost six of its last seven games. The Wildcats still have not won at Assembly Hall. Their last victory in Bloomington came in 1968.
Indiana, which produced season-low shooting percentages in each of its last three games, got itself righted against one of the nation's top defenses. The Hoosiers shot 51 percent from the field. Robert Vaden had 11 points, all in the second half, while Suhr added 10.
For a change, the Hoosiers also started quickly. They broke out to a 12-4 lead and extended the margin to 19-9 midway through the first half.
But Northwestern fought back, tying the score twice - at 22 late in the first half and at 30 early in the second half.
But Suhr changed the game with his quickness. Twice the 5-foot-8 guard beat the Wildcats to rebounds that set up 3-pointers, and he found open passing lanes to beat Northwestern's defense. And when Wilmont hit his second straight 3 with 14:14 to go, the Hoosiers led 40-32.
Again, Northwestern rallied. This time, they closed to 58-55 with 4:18 left, but Wilmont answered with another 3 to ignite a 7-0 run that made it 65-55.
Indiana sealed the game by making nine of 10 free throws in the final 1:40 and never trailed for only the second time this season.
