Men’s Basketball

For the second straight game, a Northwestern team reliant on 3-pointers, couldn’t buy a big shot when it needed one most.

And against long and talented Ohio State (11-5, 3-0 Big Ten), the Wildcats (13-3, 1-2) couldn’t overcome their poor shooting in a 65-56 defeat Wednesday.

NU shot just 6-for-25 from distance on the night, a game after a 2-for-20 showing from long-range torpedoed the team’s chances of upsetting then-No. 4 Maryland. The Cats missed their first 11 3-point shots on the night, with senior guard Tre Demps netting the team’s first 3 with 1:50 left in the first half.

Demps, in particular, had a difficult night from long distance, shooting 1-for-8 from deep. Coach Chris Collins said Demps had a number of good looks on the night that just wouldn’t fall.

“We’re not going to lose confidence in him,” Collins said. “All really good scorers go through times where you aren’t shooting as well.”

Freshman forward Aaron Falzon, a 36.3 percent 3-point shooter on the season, canned just 1-of-7 from outside. Meanwhile, the wing trio of juniors Nathan Taphorn and Sanjay Lumpkin and sophomore Scottie Lindsey shot a combined 2-for-6 from 3.

Collins said the other shooters on the team need to make shots to take defensive pressure off Demps and sophomore guard Bryant McIntosh.

“We’ve got to find a way to get contributions from other guys,” Collins said. “Those are the guys that need to make shots, take pressure off the two guards.”

Collins also gave credit to Ohio State’s defensive effort for making life difficult for NU. With length on the perimeter and inside and a clear focus on sticking with shooters on the Cats’ drives, the Buckeyes were able to hold NU to more than 20 points below its per-game scoring average.

The crisp ball movement and drive-and-kick action culminating in 3s that NU relied on in nonconference play feels like a distant memory after two straight ugly, home losses. But McIntosh said that the team’s shooting touch will return with time.

“Guys are just going to have to come in and get shots, see the ball go in the basket a little bit,” McIntosh said. “I think now it’s becoming a little mental.”

With two of the more talented, athletic teams in the conference now behind them, the Cats will have a chance to get back on track from deep Saturday against a Minnesota team that allows teams to shoot 37.2 percent from 3.

Collins cautioned against overreacting to two games’ worth missed shots from outside.

“You want to look at the film and see, ‘Are you getting good shots?’” he said. “From my vantage point, I thought we did get some clean ones.”

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