Butler rolls ’Cats
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| Butler's Shelvin Mack (right) drives to the basket against Northwestern's John Shurna on Wednesday during the second half in Evanston. Butler won, 67-54. Mack led Butler with 15 points. (Nam Y. Huh / AP) |
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EVANSTON – Shelvin Mack had 15 points, Gordon Hayward added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 11 Butler showed off its depth with a 67-54 victory against Northwestern on Wednesday night.
Five players had nine points or better for the Bulldogs (2-0), who never trailed in beating Northwestern (1-1) for the second year in a row. Mack also dished out eight assists.
Michael Thompson scored 16 and John Shurna 14 for short-handed Northwestern. This was the Wildcats’ first game since announcing that both Kevin Coble, their leading scorer and rebounder the past three seasons, and Jeff Ryan will miss the rest of the season.
Coble broke a bone in his left foot during practice Nov. 10, and Ryan tore the ACL in his left knee three days later during Northwestern’s season opener.
Butler had to rally from 12 points down to beat Northwestern last year at Hinkle Fieldhouse, but there was no such scare this time around.
The Bulldogs return everyone from the team that made its third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament last season, and they were just too deep for Northwestern to handle.
Hayward made a layup that broke a 15-all tie midway through the first half and sparked a 12-4 run, and the Wildcats never threatened again.
