The Nittany Lions left Northwestern with a sour taste feeling the last time they faced off. Penn State spoiled NU’s Senior Night on March 1, silencing Welsh Ryan Arena with an overtime corner three with less than three seconds remaining in the contest. The Cats’ next opportunity to win another home victory would have to wait until next year.

But the chance for revenge came unseasonably early — in the form of a spectacular showdown nine days later at the United Center.

There, the Cats (21-11, 12-8 Big Ten) and Nittany Lions (21-12, 10-10 Big Ten) squared off once again, this time in the Big Ten Tournament, where Chicago’s own Big Ten team was unable to make the winning chess move. In another down to the wire overtime contest, tenth-seed Penn State’s clutch shooting downed the second-seed Cats, forcing a 67-65 loss.

The first half was a near replication of their March 1 meeting, which led to a 28-24 halftime score in favor of NU. Here, the defense on both sides of the ball was stellar, as the Cats went into lockdown mode early, forcing Penn State to turn the ball over on their first four possessions.

However, the Nittany Lions’ spurts of great defense proved effective as well, leading to a one for eight shooting performance for more than a five minute span. As both teams fought for position, momentum, and a spot in the next round, the score was tied 26-25 at the break with the Cats leading.

The second half didn’t disappoint either, as the highest lead with less than 10 minutes remaining was four points. The pound for pound contest was tied in the final minute, allowing each team to get one last opportunity to close the deal. However, with senior guard Boo Buie’s fadeaway jumper and PSU’s Andrew Funk’s three pointer no good, the Cats and Nittany Lions headed to overtime once again.

With a chance to battle for five more minutes, Penn State and NU’s thriller came down to the last shot. PSU’s Seth Lundy’s three with less than a minute remaining gave the Nittany Lions a two-point lead, and Buie was unable to answer on the next possession.

The Cats did have a last-second chance though. With less than five seconds left in overtime, NU got the rebound off Buie’s missed free throw, but redshirt senior Chase Audige’s off-balance three rolled around the rim as the final buzzer sounded.

Takeaways:

1. NU struggles to mark offensive paint territory in the first half.

Junior center Matthew Nicholson’s missed alley-oop finish from senior guard Boo Buie on the first possession of the game hinted at NU’s future struggles near the rim. Although Penn State outrebounded NU by only two boards, the Cats weren’t a threat in the paint.

Penn State’s ability to contest their driving efforts using their physicality contributed to this. PSU guard Jalen Pickett guarded Buie for most of the match, being a physical guard that limited Buie’s chances of driving into the lane to establish his inside game. All Nittany Lions followed through with this strategy — making it difficult for all NU players to establish themselves offensively. In result, the Cats had to rely on their shooting, which struggled throughout the contest — 32% from the field and 25% from three.

2. Barnhizer emerged as Cats second scoring option.

Halfway through the second half and during his team’s scoring woes, coach Chris Collins took out both Buie and senior redshirt guard Chase Audige — a decision that might’ve raised eyebrows. But, the choice turned out to be one of his best of the entire contest.

While both were out, Barnhizer’s moneyball three and reverse layup cut Penn State’s lead down to two on back to back possessions. This forced the Nittany Lions to call a timeout and gave NU the momentum it needed. The acrobatic finish upped Barnhizer’s point total to 11, making it his sixth straight contest in double figures.

With Audige struggling from the field, notching only one contest with over 10 points, the sophomore has stepped up into a much needed role alongside Buie. By the end of the contest, Barnhizer finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

3. NU unable to “get monkey off their back” once again

Against both Illinois and their first matchup against Penn State, the Cats’ unraveling performances in the second half resulted in two unsettling losses. Once again, sadly, PSU’s one-more-shot dropped NU.

Although hats off must be given to the Nittany Lions for their clutch shot-making down the stretch, the Cats’ inability to put themselves in that winning position continues to haunt them. With March Madness up next, and a guarantee that close games will be played, the Cats’ burden can prove to be worrisome.

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