Looking to bounce back from consecutive losses without one of its key veteran contributors, Northwestern hosted No. 17 Wisconsin Saturday.
In a game where the Wildcats (12-10, 3-8 Big Ten) had to adjust without their second-leading scorer, senior guard Brooks Barnhizer — who was ruled out with a foot injury — the Badgers (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) rallied from an early deficit to hand NU a 75-69 loss.
The ’Cats got off to the hot start they needed, going on an 8-0 run as the defense forced Wisconsin to shoot 0-of-5 from the field. NU quickly slowed down, though.
Midway through the opening twenty minutes, both squads combined for just 19 points, brought on by a coupling of good defense and cold shooting.
The tide turned late in the half when both teams traded a flurry of 3-point punches, resulting in a 31-25 NU lead at halftime.
The Badgers came out of the break swinging, quickly eating away at the NU lead. With just over nine minutes remaining, the Badgers took the lead on a second chance tip-in. On the next possession, Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl knocked down a three to extend the lead to five.
The visitors never lost their handle on the game from that point on, making key foul shots in the final minute to seal the deal.
Here are three takeaways from NU’s loss to Wisconsin Saturday.
1. Northwestern’s first half defensive master class fizzles out
In their most recent outing, The ’Cats’ defense allowed a 37-point individual performance at the hands of Rutgers forward Ace Bailey en route to a 79-72 loss Wednesday.
Staring down a dominant Wisconsin offense that averages 81.8 points per game, NU needed a shift if it had any hopes of remaining competitive Saturday.
And in the first half, the defense answered the call.
The ’Cats forced nine turnovers and five steals in the first half alone, holding the Badgers to a 8-of-28 shooting performance from the field.
While both teams regained their offensive footing late in the first half, it took the Badgers nearly 13 minutes of game time to break into double-digit scoring.
The ’Cats couldn’t maintain their performance in the second half, as Wisconsin banked home six field goals, five of which were three-pointers, by the under-12 minute media timeout.
After shooting 28.6% from the field in the first half, the Badgers shot 56% from the field in the final twenty minutes.
Additionally, Wisconsin hit eight three-pointers in the second half, which proved insurmountable late in the game.
2. Veterans pull their weight in the absence of Barnhizer
Younger players like freshman guards Angelo Ciaravino and K.J. Windham saw elevated minutes due to the injury of senior guard Brooks Barnhizer, but it was the veterans that kept NU in the game.
After the Badgers took their first lead of the game late in the first half, junior forward Nick Martinelli knocked down shots on consecutive possessions to reclaim the lead.
Graduate student guard Ty Berry, who returned to the starting lineup after spending some time on the bench, later drained two three-pointers to swing the momentum back towards NU.
Graduate student center Matthew Nicholson threw his hat into the ring to begin the last frame, scoring NU’s first six points of the half.
Nicholson, who went scoreless in the first half, finished the game with 10 points.
Graduate student guard Jalen Leach continued his dominant play, scoring a team-high 23 points off a 8-of-14 shooting day from the field.
3. The alarm bells have never rung louder
On a three-game losing streak with nine games left in the regular season, hopes of a third-consecutive NU March Madness appearance look bleak.
The ’Cats will have to put together a string of wins against a mixed bag of Big Ten competition to even have a chance for consideration.
Following back-to-back losses on its home court, coach Chris Collins’s group will look towards a Tuesday tilt with USC.
Email: annawatson2027@u.northwestern.edu
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