Notes, quotes | Strategy and personnel The Wildcats continue to open eyes around the Big Ten. They defeated Arizona State 73-71 on Dec. 17 on a buzzer-beater by guard T.J. Parker.

The win indicates just how far Northwestern has come. The Wildcats feel very good about their guard situation with Parker and Jitim Young, but in the win over the Sun Devils, forward Vedran Vukusic had a game-high 26 points as he made 8-of-15 shots from the field -- including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Vukusic also had six rebounds and played the kind of aggressive game that head coach Bill Carmody has been looking for since the start of the season.

As good as Vukusic was against Arizona State, the key to Northwestern's success this year is guard Jitim Young. He is averaging 19.0 ppg and shooting 43 percent from the field. He is a talented shooter and passer, but he really gives the Wildcats a lift by going to the boards hard.

"That's what I do," Young told the Chicago Tribune. "I am just aggressive I go after the ball and I have fun out there. I don't think about what I am doing, I just do it."

The guard combination of Young and Parker should allow the Wildcats to pull some memorable upsets this season.

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