Nine days removed from a 38-point trouncing of Illinois-Chicago, the Wildcats (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) returned to the court to host Brown. Despite a dismal shooting display, NU was able to hold off the Bears (7-6, 0-0 Ivy), winning 63-58.

Thursday’s early afternoon affair was not a particularly pretty game — both squads combined for 31 turnovers and neither team shot above 43% from the field — but the Cats, led by their defense, handled business to close out December.

The two academic juggernauts went back-and-forth for most of the first half, with Brown carrying a slim 31-30 advantage into the intermission. Redshirt senior guard Chase Audige and senior guard Boo Buie combined for 23 of NU’s 33 second half points to secure the victory for coach Chris Collins’ bunch, though.

Here are three takeaways from the Cats’ clash with the Bears.

Takeaways

1. NU offense comes back down to earth

The Cats headed into the winter break peaking offensively. Collins’ bunch totaled 83 and 92 points in back-to-back games against DePaul and Illinois-Chicago, respectively. The nine-day layoff appeared to have an effect on the hosts, in particular on the offensive end.

NU shot a dismal 20-of-58 from the field and 4-of-21 from distance Thursday. Though the squad was getting good looks at the rim and from the perimeter, the apparent lid on the rim wouldn’t lift. 

Meanwhile, the squad’s two principal scorers, Audige and Buie, rebounded in the second frame to lead the hosts to victory. 

For Audige, it was a historic day, as the New York native eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his collegiate career. He also led the Cats in scoring for the third consecutive game, pouring in 24 points. His fellow backcourt mate in Buie got rolling in the second half as well, totaling 15 points, nine of which came in the final 20 minutes. Despite their offensive heroics, a combined 12-of-33 shooting performance once again illustrates the up-and-down efficiency of the pair.

Still, one silver lining from an otherwise poor shooting day is that NU missed just two free throws on 21 total attempts at the charity stripe. When points are as hard to come by as they were Thursday, frequent and successful trips to the line are going to be imperative to potential success in conference play.

2. Cats defense remains steady

As it has for most of the season, NU’s defense remains the solid ground for which this team stands, though it wasn’t a dominant display.

The Cats forced 17 turnovers, with five players stealing the ball at least once, and held another opponent below the 63-point threshold. 

Still, the squad’s rotational struggles defensively saw a number of Brown players get open looks from deep. The Bears responded accordingly, knocking down six first half triples, handing the visitors a one-point lead at the intermission. 

But NU locked in out of the break, holding Brown to just six points through 10 minutes in the second frame. After a rather impressive shooting display in the opening 20 minutes, the Cats stymied the Bears in the second half, as Brown shot just 34.8% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the arc.

3. As non-conference chapter closes, the Big Ten gauntlet begins

With Thursday’s win, NU’s 2022-23 non-conference slate comes to an end. In an 11-game span, the Cats tallied nine victories, including routs of three Chicago “rivals,” and were just one possession away from an upset win over then-No. 13 Auburn in Cancun. 

The one blemish on NU’s early season resume is a 29-point defeat at home against Pittsburgh, but all things considered, Collins and company have to be pleased with where things stand after two months.

Now, as this veteran group is well aware, the real work begins. A 19-game conference slate awaits the Cats, including marquee early matchups against Ohio State, Illinois and Indiana to kick off January. If the dreams of a March Madness return are to be realized, NU needs to set the tone at the beginning of 2023.

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Twitter: @CervantesPAlex 

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