National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Northwestern 55, Miami (OH) 46
When: 9:30 PM ET, Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Where: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Riviera Maya
Officials: # Steve McJunkins, # Darryl Smith, # Jeff Spedoske
Attendance: 650

Northwestern 55, Miami (Ohio) 46:
Alex Olah and Vic Law had 13 points apiece as the Wildcats survived a 10-minute-plus second-half scoring drought to down the RedHawks in the Cancun Challenge Riviera Division semifinals in Mexico.

Tre Demps chipped in 11 points while Olah and Law combined for 16 rebounds, grabbing eight apiece for Northwestern (5-0), which will match unblemished starts with Northern Iowa (5-0) in Wednesday’s championship game. The Missouri Valley Conference's Panthers easily handled Virginia Tech 71-53 in the first semifinal.

Eric Washington had 12 points while Logan McLane and Chris Bryant added eight apiece for Miami (2-2). The RedHawks, who will face the Hokies in Wednesday’s consolation contest, couldn’t overcome off nights by leading scorers Will Sullivan and Geovonie McKnight, who finished with three points apiece and shot a combined 2-of-11 from the field.

Northwestern expanded its six-point halftime lead to 40-31 with less than 16 minutes to play, but failed to score over the next 10:12 while Miami pulled even. The Wildcats, though, regrouped to hit their next four shots to take a 49-40 lead, and the RedHawks never got closer than six over the final four minutes.

Miami scored the contest’s first six points and led 18-11 at the under-12 media timeout. But Law got hot and made pair of shots to spark a 14-2 Northwestern run over the ensuing seven minutes as the Wildcats took a 31-25 lead into the break.

GAME NOTEBOOK:
Demps has scored in double figures off the bench in four of the last five games. … Miami shot a season-low 31.3 percent from the field and was outrebounded 37-29. … G/F Sanjay Lumpkin had six rebounds for the Wildcats, but finished with a season-worst two points.

Top Game Performances
 
Northwestern   Miami (OH)
Vic Law 13 Scoring Eric Washington 12
Bryant McIntosh 5 Assists Eric Washington 3
Vic Law 8 Rebounds Logan McLane 4
Vic Law 3 Free Throws Made Eric Washington 5
JerShon Cobb 1 Steals Eric Washington 2
Alex Olah 4 Blocks LJ Livingston 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Northwestern 55 39.6 9-22 8-13 11 35 10 2 16
Miami (OH) 46 31.2 5-13 11-21 6 24 2 8 12