To say Northwestern (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) had a much better performance Wednesday night than a few days ago against Big Ten foe Ohio State would be an understatement. The Wildcats outlasted Illinois (9-5, 0-3 Big Ten) 73-60, courtesy of a resurgent second half. 

However, the in-state rivals both struggled offensively to start the contest. Junior guard Ty Berry kicked off NU’s offensive streak with a pullup jumper at the top of the key. Defensive steals by both redshirt senior guard Chase Audige and junior center Matthew Nicholson also contributed to the Cats’ 6-2 lead at the first four media timeout.

Coach Chris Collins said he was pleased with Audige’s defensive performance. The fourth year had four steals. 

“He’s one of the best defenders around,” Collins said. “His ability to guard multiple positions and anticipation in passing lanes sets the tone for the team.” 

Audige picked up the scoring for the Wildcats early in the first quarter. The New York native hit two consecutive corner threes, stopping a mini 5-0 Illini run and a nearly four-minute NU scoring drought. By the 12-minute media timeout, the score was all tied up at 12. 

Following the timeout, the Cats amplified the pressure, making fast transition plays inside the paint to catch the Illinois defense off guard. Down the stretch of the first half, NU persisted to  exchange baskets with the Fighting Illini. At halftime, the Cats were heading into the locker room with a slight advantage after back to back drives from senior forward Robbie Beran, Nicholson and Audige. 

Audige’s fourth steal of the game, which subsequently led to free throws on the other end, jumpstarted NU’s scoring in the second half. And yet, Illinois stood toe-to-toe with the squad, stretching a 10-2 drive over three minutes. He emphasized the importance the defensive side of the floor plays for the Cats’ success this season.

“Our defense has definitely been our calling card,” Audige said. “Creating steals or deflections is really big and creates offense for us … Defense is our identity as a team.” 

With time winding down on the game clock, the Cats faced their largest deficit of the night and needed a dire drive in the paint to get back on the scoreboard. Fortunately, the emergence of sophomore guard Brooks Barnhizer,  Berry and Audige lit up the floor, hitting consecutive triples to lift the team to a four-point lead. 

NU seized the offensive upper hand, extending its lead with contested layups from senior guard Boo Buie and a massive block by Nicholson, leading to a 22-2 run. 

Down the stretch, the Cats fended off their in-state adversary, causing the Fighting Illini to commit ten fouls with nearly eight minutes left in the game. In history-making fashion — NU secured its first win over Illinois for the first time in five years.

As the Cats now travel to Bloomington to face Indiana (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) Sunday, Collins said he and his team want to continue proving skeptics wrong and have a similar performance Wednesday night. 

“For a team that everyone picks last, our guys are playing pretty good,” Collins said. “We got to stay with it. Every game is going to be like today. We got a couple of days to get ourselves together and come up with a game plan to go to Indiana and see what we can do there.” 

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