[NU Sports] NIT to be tied

[Weinbaum, Willie]

Helluva reward for Shurna and Co. and it would've been damned sad to blow the game in which he reached 2,000 points, had a rare double-double, became NU's career blocked-shot leader and had seven assists.  And even though he didn't have a great shooting night, he hit a couple of big treys, worked hard on defense and was there at both ends for key rebounds late...always hustling.  Cobb hit big time shots and Crawford keyed the Cats getting a big lead and had another eight points in the second half after the lead disappeared.   He won't have much time for the shoulder to heal.

Clearly, a lot in this game demonstrated why the Cats are an NIT team, not an NCAA team, such as lapses on defense and on the boards and an overreliance on long-range shooting, something really hard to sustain.  This had all the makings of another crusher, with a missed FT that would've clinched it and an inability to grab a rebound...and a good look for Akron at a trey that would've given it the win.  But it was a game like those @ PSU & Iowa (not the myriad heartbreakers), in which the Cats hung on as their fans' tickers were put to the test.

Have to be pleased for NU, in the middle of finals week, to somehow shake off the disappointment from the conference tourney/failure to get an NCAA bid and to weather the storm.

Regardless of what's behind them or ahead, at least the Cats had this home game and a rewarding (albeit really ugly and tense) night.