No choke: Northwestern Wildcats whip Iowa

It's tough not to let emotions get the best of you on Senior Day.

Just ask guard Craig Moore, who allowed the pregame hoopla before his final game ever at Welsh-Ryan Arena get to him early on in Northwestern's 55-49 victory over Iowa.

"He was really choked up in the beginning of the game," Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said in all seriousness. "And then he played like he was choked up for the first 35 minutes."

Ouch.

Carmody kids because he cares, and because Moore and fellow guard Michael "Juice" Thompson got it together late to lead the Wildcats to a sparkling 13-4 record at home this season.

"It was great that he came through for us down the stretch," Carmody said of Moore, whose only 2 field goals came in the final six minutes of a back-and-forth tussle with lowly Iowa (1-11 on the road).

"I just wish they didn't take away from my shootaround time," Moore said with a grin about the pregame festivities. "I'm blaming all my missed shots on that."

Then he got serious.

"I had no confidence out there, but my teammates continued to have confidence and picked up the slack."

One in particular - the man known as Juice - did so in spectacular fashion en route to finishing with 14 points.

With the Wildcats trailing by 7 points midway through the second half and the large crowd stirring, Thompson nailed three straight 3-pointers. Moore (11 points) and Kevin Coble (16) chipped in with 1 apiece to make it five in a row from beyond the arc, giving Northwestern a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

"I found a couple of open shots and they came at a good time," Thompson said matter-of-factly.

His coach was much more passionate.

"Michael Thompson, we're not winning this game without that kid," Carmody said. "He really stepped it up."

It was a performance that left Iowa coach Todd Lickliter gushing.

"I might be their biggest fan; I like what Northwestern does," Lickliter said. "The problem is I'm not a big fan of having to play them."