Northwestern Cruises Past SIU-Edwardsville, 81-56
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Alex Olah scored 21 points to lead Northwestern over Southern Illinois Edwardsville, 81-56, on Saturday.
Aaron Falzon added 17 and Bryant McIntosh chipped in with 11 for Northwestern (7-1), which has won four straight. The Wildcats shot 51.7 percent overall, made nine 3-pointers as a team and got five 3-pointers from Falzon. The Wildcats were boosted 12 first-half points from Olah and have their best eight-game start since 2011-12, when they also began 7-1.
Playing its first game after beating Virginia Tech 81-79 in overtime Tuesday as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Northwestern had little trouble with the visiting Cougars and led 35-26 at halftime despite shooting just 38.7 percent from the field during the opening 20 minutes.
The Cougars (1-7) lost their seventh straight since opening the season with a 79-70 win over Arkansas State. SIUE also fell to 0-4 on the road, and is in the middle of a three-game trip away from home.
The Wildcats, who won't play again until Dec. 13, took their first 10-point lead at 23-13 with 6:23 left in the first half on a layup by Sanjay Lumpkin. Northwestern built its advantage to 29-15 with 4:25 remaining on a 3-pointer by Falzon, a shot notable because Falzon was playing without his right shoe.
Northwestern was never really threatened during the second half. An Olah basket with 5:49 left in the second half put Northwestern ahead 65-44 and gave the Wildcats their first lead of at least 20 points.
Burak Eslik scored 13 points for SIUE, which hasn't lost by single digits since a 77-74 loss to Campbell on Nov. 24. Following that defeat, the Cougars have lost by at least 13 points in their following four contests.
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