In a defensive slugfest, the ’Cats’ comeback attempt fell just short to Butler, 61 to 58. 

With senior forward Nick Martinelli out with a concussion, the Wildcats’ (7-5, 0-2 Big Ten) offense could not produce early as they went through the first seven minutes with just two points. However, the ’Cats’ offensive struggles were matched by those of Butler (8-3, 1-1 Big East). The Bulldogs scored seven points in that time after missing their first six shots to start the game.

After the second TV timeout, however, the ’Cats began to find their rhythm. The team went on a tear, making five of their next six shots as the Bulldogs’ defense was scrambling to keep up. NU’s efforts were led by two straight makes from sophomore guard Max Green to take the lead. 

The shooting run by the ’Cats proved unsustainable as their offensive struggles continued at the end of the first half, with NU unable to capitalize on Butler’s turnovers and ending the period trailing 23-29. 

As the second half began, NU began to collapse defensively. Butler dropped 15 points in the first six minutes of the half to grow their lead to 10.

The ’Cats attempted to answer, and they were able to keep the game close for most of the second half, never letting the lead get larger than 11, before capitalizing on the Bulldogs’ missing offense and narrowing the lead to four with 4:25 to go. 

NU kept it close for the next few minutes, and a 3-pointer by junior center Arrinten Page made it a one-point game with a minute to go. Freshman forward Tre Singleton had the chance to tie the game with 31 seconds left, but tapped his toe on the line just before putting up the shot to bring the lead back to one. 

Junior guard Jayden Reid had a final chance to tie the game after Butler missed a few free throws, but his shot clanked off the rim, and the ’Cats fell to 7-5. 

Butler was led by the duo of forward Michael Ajayi and guard Jamie Kaiser Jr. until Kaiser’s exit with 8:51 to go due to an ankle injury. 

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. Page, offense can’t overcome early struggles without Martinelli

Without Martinelli, the ’Cats could not produce on offense out of the gate, ruining an incredible start defensively, where NU gave up seven points in the first seven minutes. NU made one of its first ten shots, a jumper by Reid. Reid scored 14 points.

One player whom the ’Cats expected to step up was Page. But he started slowly, missing two dunks from Reid due to miscommunications and poor placement. He also committed a turnover just under two minutes into the game when NU was still looking for its first points of the contest. 

As the half went on, Page continued to struggle, missing two more chances to score at the rim. He finished the half with two points and just one made shot.

In the second half, Page continued to struggle offensively, with just five points to finish with seven on the day. Despite his struggles, he was able to put it together in the clutch and drill a 3-pointer to give NU a chance. 

In addition to Page, Green had a rough day offensively, making three of his 10 shots and just one of his four threes. Green continued to pull up for shots despite not scoring any points after his first-half run. However, he made a name for himself at the potential turning point in the game, forcing a turnover and scoring a heavily contested layup with under five minutes left to narrow Butler’s lead to four. 

The three-pointer proved difficult for NU once again as the team shot 4-for-20 from deep, with several shots in the comeback attempt clanking out to prevent the ’Cats from stealing the game from Butler.

The ’Cats continued to look everywhere for answers offensively, scoring 23 total points in the half, their lowest mark of the season. Coach Chris Collins utilized the bench throughout the game, with 10 of the 12 players who’ve played this season getting minutes. 

2. Reid steps up all over the court

Reid could be spotted everywhere throughout the game, using his quickness to cause chaos all over the court. His fast footwork helped inspire a struggling ’Cats offense missing its superstar scorer. 

He was able to take over as a playmaker, setting up chances for not just Page, but the entire ’Cats offense. Reid also led the efforts defensively, fighting for rebounds and stepping up to force missed shots even when his 5’10” frame put him at a disadvantage. 

The guard’s strong performance continued early in the second half, when he made a 3-pointer early to slow Butler’s momentum and keep the ’Cats from falling behind big. Reid was the only member of the ’Cats in double digits at the 12-minute mark of the second quarter. 

Freshman forward Tyler Kropp was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Reid’s performance, with four of his free-throw attempts coming because of Reid’s offensive vision. He wasn’t the only one, as sophomore guard Angelo Ciaravino was able to break through to the rim and help the ’Cats keep the game close. 

Reid’s vision came in clutch as the ’Cats attempted to complete the comeback, passing up a near-contested three (one of his weaknesses this year, shooting just 27.6% coming into this game) to drive for a layup and narrow the lead to two, the closest the game had been all half.

Even though Reid’s efforts proved futile, his strong performance showed that he can be a leader on this team and help the ’Cats bridge the gap in a future where Kropp and fellow first years in Singleton and guard Jake West lead this team after Martinelli’s graduation at the end of the season. 

3. Aggressive defense shows strengths and weaknesses

Last Sunday, Butler officially announced that starting point guard Jalen Jackson was out for the season, leaving the Bulldogs without one of their leading scorers for the heart of conference play. 

NU was aggressive in the defensive zone from the start, forcing Butler to take poor shots and creating plenty of turnovers. The Bulldogs ended the first half shooting 35.5% from the field. 

Forcing turnovers led to offensive opportunities galore for the ’Cats. Butler committed eight turnovers in the first half, in part due to NU’s continued aggression on defense. The ’Cats were relentless with their pressure throughout the half.

That aggression proved costly in the paint, as Butler was able to capitalize on offensive rebounds galore, with 13 throughout the game to the ’Cats’ nine. The Bulldogs turned those into points early and often, helping them build an early lead that they maintained for most of the game. 

Butler’s offensive second chances came in part due to guard Finley Bizjack’s rough shooting day. Bizjack was held scoreless in the first half before making his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer, just under two minutes into the second half. 

While Bizjack struggled, Ajayi was a force in the paint, capitalizing on the ’Cats’ aggressive defense with 19 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. Ajayi, who was coming off a season-low eight-point performance in the Bulldogs’ last game against UConn, returned to his season form today with his ninth double-double of the season. 

The ’Cats take on Howard on Dec. 30 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

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