Tribune News Services
Freshman Drew Crawford scored 22 points, nearly double his output from the first three games combined, to lead Northwestern to a 69-53 victory over Liberty in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.
The Naperville Central alum shot 8-for-14 overall and 5-for-10 from three-point land.
John Shurna added 14 points for Northwestern (3-1), which needed only five points from top scorer Michael Thompson. Thompson entered the game averaging 19.7 points.
Play shifts to the neutral-site UIC Pavilion on Friday, when Northwestern plays Notre Dame and Liberty meets Mississippi Valley State.
See the latest college basketball video highlights here.
Photo: Northwestern's Drew Crawford goes up for a shot against Liberty's Patrick Konan during the second half. (AP / Nam Y. Huh)
Register with Chicago Tribune and receive Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks newsletters for free. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Hello, thanks for the wonderful blog, a really great start for the new year, keep up the wonderful work, Pat.