The student body stormed the Welsh-Ryan basketball court in a joyous and spontaneous show of solidarity Wednesday night after Northwestern scored one of the biggest upsets of the season when it knocked off 14th-ranked Purdue 54-50.
“It’s not a fluke,”said Evan Eschmeyer, the player most instrumental in determining the outcome. “We’re supposed to beat teams like this.”
For the Wildcats (4-3 in the Big Ten, 12-5 overall), winning meant surviving a relentless second-half rally that brought the Boilermakers back from a 16-point deficit late in the first half.
Purdue (3-4, 15-6) trailed 52-50 when Brian Cardinal tried to tie the score with a medium-range shot from the right side with 4 seconds to play.
Eschmeyer, who had four fouls, contested the shot.
“I tried to press up into him, put my hands as high as I could and pray they didn’t call a foul,” Eschmeyer said.
His prayers were answered. The shot was short. NU’s Steve Lepore grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Jaraan Cornell with 3.2 seconds showing on the clock. The freshman sank both ends of his one-and-one free throw to seal the verdict.
“I just missed a shot,” Cardinal said. “I guess I didn’t take it up strong.”
With Eschmeyer providing the impetus, Northwestern dominated the first half, which ended with the Wildcats leading 32-20.
“Without question that’s the best we’ve played since I’ve been here,” said Kevin O’Neill, who has the Wildcats off to their best start in 31 years in his second year as their coach.
Setting the tone with a slam for the game’s first basket, Eschmeyer was almost unstoppable in the low post during the first 5 1/2 minutes when the Wildcats seized an 11-4 lead.
Eschmeyer finished the half with 13 of his 17 points, nine of his 14 rebounds and three of his seven blocked shots. His first half rebounds made the sixth-year senior Northwestern’s all-time leading rebounder, surpassing by one Kevin Rankin’s total of 885 from 1991-94.
Purdue seized the momentum to start the second half by going on an 11-2 run. Cornell led the way with a three-point basket and a two-pointer. Carson Cunningham added a pair of two-pointers and Cardinal scored from the low post.
Newman stopped the run with back-to-back three-point baskets.
But the Boilermakers resumed their counterattack.
Subsequently, Northwestern twice built its lead back to 10 points before Purdue made the late charge to pull to 52-50 when Alan Eldridge made the first of two free throws with 39 seconds left.
