Men’s Basketball

MADISON, Wis. — Northwestern, at last, has its signature win.

Junior guard Bryant McIntosh scored 25 points and the Wildcats (19-6, 8-4 Big Ten) overcame early struggles to stun No. 7 Wisconsin (21-4, 10-2) with a 66-59 win on Sunday.

The first half began as expected. Wisconsin star Ethan Happ had his way in the paint, the Scottie Lindsey-lacking Cats struggled to move the ball offensively and the hosts cruised to an early 19-12 lead.

Then, suddenly, everything changed.

With 7:30 left in the half, McIntosh found sophomore forward Vic Law along the perimeter for NU’s first assisted bucket of the game, jumpstarting a stunning 16-0 run for the visitors — capped by back-to-back triples from senior forward Nathan Taphorn — that flipped the game on its head and gave the Cats a 31-22 halftime lead.

The scoreboard continued to flip back and forth after the break. Wisconsin opened with a 10-0 run to regain a narrow lead, holding NU without a field goal for over four minutes, but the Cats answered with 8-straight points of their own.

The visitors protected that advantage for much of the remainder of the frame, matching each Wisconsin basket with a score of their own, keeping a crowd of 17,287 at the Kohl Center from staying rowdy for too long.

McIntosh then drained four free throws in the final minute, putting the final seal on the huge road victory.

Takeaways

1. Wildcats get much-needed resume booster

Despite its solid record and — until Tuesday’s loss to Illinois — near-flawless credentials against inferior teams, NU didn’t have a big win to hang its NCAA tournament bid on entering the weekend.

That changed Sunday.

Upsetting a top-10 team on the road is a feat few other bubble teams will be able to claim, and not only halts the downward momentum of the Cats’ season but will provide a big boost come March.

2. Inside-out offense works for Northwestern

The Cats’ offense, stagnant and ineffective for much of the first half, finally found its groove when NU began working the ball into the paint and then kicking out for open 3s.

McIntosh began the first half run finding Law off a drive inside. Then, sophomore center Dererk Pardon and freshman center Barret Benson drew in the Badgers’ defense and passed to Taphorn on the perimeter for the final two shots of the crucial 16-0 run.

3. Starting Nathan Taphorn pays dividends

After inserting freshman guard Isiah Brown into the starting lineup for the first two games of Lindsey’s absence, coach Chris Collins switched up his plan Sunday by starting Taphorn — and it paid off.

Brown, who had struggled with inefficiency, came off the bench to making both of his attempts, including a big shot during the Cats’ uninspired start.

Meanwhile, Taphorn added 6 points and allowed forward Vic Law to shift into the 2-guard spot, giving NU more height and shooting ability against a slow-paced but defensively stifling Wisconsin team.

Stats
– Dererk Pardon: 11 points, 8 rebounds
– Wisconsin: 38 percent from the field
– NU outscored the Badgers 26-12 in the paint

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Twitter: @benpope111