news-record.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — An 11-day layoff didn't seem to bother Northwestern or freshman Drew Crawford, who scored a career-high 35 points, including eight 3-pointers, as Northwestern defeated N.C. A&T 90-65 Sunday.

"I saw that he had shot 10 3-pointers in a game earlier this year,'' A&T coach Jerry Eaves said about Crawford. "I told my team any time someone takes 10 3-pointers in a game, they are interested in scoring. When he hit his first three over in front of our bench, I turned to my coach and said 'I hope this is not one of those nights where his interest in scoring big hurts us.' "

"Of course, it did."

The Wildcats (7-1) won their sixth in a row, and their 20 3-pointers smashed the team record of 15, set in 2007 against Arkansas State.

Thomas Coleman led the Aggies (4-6) with 16 points, while Robert Johnson and Tavarus Alston had 12 points apiece.

Coleman also had three blocks to break the school record for career blocked shots (167). He now owns the single-game, single-season and career school record in blocked shots.

With the score tied at 11, Northwestern went on a 12-2 run as Crawford hit three 3-pointers and Nash one. The Wildcats went 13-of-25 in the first half from behind the arc in taking a 50-37 lead at the break.

Crawford had 24 points in the opening half, six on 3-pointers, topping his previous game-best of 22 points against Liberty, and far surpassing his 5.7-point average. He made his second 3-pointer just over 6 minutes into the game to beat that number.

Crawford finished 12-for-17 from the field, 8-for-13 from 3-point range. The Wildcats also set a school record for 3-point attempts with 47. They tried 36 from behind the arc in a 2003 game against Ohio State.

N.C. A&T (4-6) — Coleman 5-7 6-9 16, Upchurch 1-2 0-2 2, Johnson 4-10 0-0 12, Simpson 2-12 2-2 8, Alston 3-14 6-6 12, Buck 0-0 0-0 0, Hill 2-6 0-0 4, Powell 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 0-4 4-4 4, Witter 1-1 1-2 4, Porter 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 19-60 20-27 65.

NORTHWESTERN (7-1) — Crawford 12-17 3-4 35, Shurna 1-10 4-6 6, Mirkovic 1-4 1-1 3, Thompson 6-13 2-2 19, Nash 3-7 2-2 10, Hearn 0-0 0-0 0, Fruendt 1-2 0-0 3, Peljusic 0-2 0-0 0, Capocci 1-3 0-0 3, Marcotullio 3-5 2-2 11, Rowley 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 28-63 14-19 90.

Halftime—Northwestern 50-37.
3-point goals—N.C. A&T 7-25 (Johnson 4-7, Simpson 2-8, Witter 1-1, Hill 0-2, Williams 0-2, Alston 0-5), Northwestern 20-47 (Crawford 8-13, Thompson 5-11, Marcotullio 3-5, Nash 2-5, Capocci 1-2, Fruendt 1-2, Peljusic 0-1, Mirkovic 0-1, Shurna 0-7).
Fouled out—Porter, Rowley.
Rebounds—N.C. A&T 38 (Coleman 10), Northwestern 46 (Shurna 10).
Assists—N.C. A&T 12 (Alston 5), Northwestern 24 (Thompson 8).
Total fouls—N.C. A&T 19, Northwestern 21.
A—3,926.