Composure and ball security were key in Northwestern’s convincing performance against a hot Michigan State team Sunday.
Fresh off of a disappointing 30-point loss to in-state rivals then-No. 9 Illinois, the Wildcats (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) comfortably defeated the Spartans (9-6, 1-3 Big Ten) in a 88-74 victory.
NU’s first home bout of 2024 proved pivotal, packed with conference implications. With Michigan State seeking its sixth straight win, coach Chris Collins’ squad needed to quickly set its struggles aside to reestablish its winning ways.
This looked to be the reality almost immediately as the ‘Cats maintained composure after beginning Sunday’s game at an 0-of-7 3-point clip. Production came from all around as six different ‘Cats scored at least three buckets in the first half.
“You get knocked to the floor in this conference a lot,” Collins said. “I thought we did a much better job. I was really disappointed in myself. Too much standing in our last game, too much reliance on Boo (Buie) to try to make every play, and that’s not maximizing the guys that we have.”
NU looked like a different team from its Champaign woes, generating a 15-point advantage and accumulating 17 points off turnovers by halftime. Over the next 20 minutes of play, the lead never fell below 11.
On the offensive end, NU entered the game as one of the nation’s leading teams keeping the ball away from its opponents, averaging a conference-best 9.1 turnovers per game. Sticking to their roots, the ‘Cats surrendered just five turnovers against Michigan State — their second-lowest total this season.
For Collins, smart ball movement and fluid possessions were major points of emphasis after the ‘Cats collected more turnovers than assists against Illinois.
“I think a main formula for us is taking care of the ball and sharing the ball,” Collins said. “22 assists, five turnovers. When those numbers are like that, usually we’re going to be in a pretty good spot.”
No player tallied more than one turnover and collectively, the ‘Cats forced 13 turnovers on the other end.
Buie controlled the game’s tempo from the start, nabbing 19 points, a career-high 10 assists and zero turnovers. The preseason All-American guard has transformed his game to excel as a playmaker, reaching at least seven assists in five games this season.
“I’ve really just been trying to make the right read every single time and get our offense the best shot every time down the floor especially if I have the ball,” Buie said.
With defense oftentimes being a point of weakness for the ‘Cats this season, Sunday proved to be a step in the right direction.
In last week’s loss to the Fighting Illini, NU allowed its opponent to shoot a comfortable 62.5% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc. To improve, Collins’ squad limited a Spartan offense that averaged 89 points over its previous five games to just 74.
The ‘Cats will look to keep this momentum in University Park against Penn State on Wednesday.
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