As Northwestern fans looked for something to cheer for amidst a rough season, its early performance against No. 2 Michigan looked to provide the spark they needed. However, the clutch failures of earlier this season came back to haunt them again.
The Wildcats (10-15, 2-12 Big Ten) nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets of the college basketball season against the Wolverines (23-1, 13-1 Big Ten), but were unable to hold onto a 16-point lead after Michigan exploded offensively when they fell 87-75.
A projected one seed in the NCAA Tournament, Michigan didn’t play like it for most of the game, but found its footing late, cutting the ’Cats’ lead to two points with 9:38 to go. The shots continued to fall for the Wolverines, and NU’s hot hands disappeared, allowing the Wolverines to beat the ’Cats for the ninth time in 10 games.
Michigan took the lead with 7:14 to go off a three from guard Trey McKenney, capping off a 6-for-6 run from Michigan that sent the strong Michigan contingent at Welsh-Ryan Arena into a frenzy.
The final few minutes were a seismic shift from earlier in the game, as the shots disappeared for NU as they shot just 30.8% in the second half.
A near-perfect scoring run from Michigan was buoyed by a complete defensive disaster from NU in the final few minutes, as open players galore capitalized on dunks while the ’Cats couldn’t match the scoring at the other end.
“We kind of invented ways to lose because we weren’t ready to win,” coach Chris Collins said.
Early on, this game appeared to be different for the ’Cats. NU capitalized on a 12-0 run early in the middle of the first half, turning the tide completely. A competitive battle early on was turned on its head as the ’Cats held the sixth-best scoring offense in the country scoreless for five minutes.
On the offensive end, NU found a way to break through the Wolverines’ aggressive press, opening up the floor for one of the most efficient playmaking teams in the country to work its magic. The ’Cats finished the first half with nine assists.
The offensive effectiveness continued with the ’Cats’’ strong shooting from beyond the arc, where the team shot 41% in the first half, led by transfer junior guard Jayden Reid and freshman forward Tre Singleton’s perfect shooting from the field.
“Coming out the gates, going at them, I made my first shot and got comfortable after that,” Reid said.
NU’s ability to persist when struggles mounted in the first half was vital, as the relentless pressure on both ends mounted with each point scored as the Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd grew louder and louder.
Senior forward Nick Martinelli sent the student section into a frenzy with a powerful dunk, hanging on the rim to savor one of the bright spots in what has been a difficult season for the team.
Transfer junior forward Arrinten Page added to the success by having a strong performance on both ends of the court. His 11 points and five rebounds appeared to stabilize the team when it seemed like Michigan had the chance to come back.
Page’s play in the paint symbolized the clear strength of NU early in the second half before he began to struggle late, giving up dunks and layups aplenty.
In the offensive end, the ’Cats’ 3-point shooting evaporated, with NU making just one shot from beyond the arc in the second half and missing its final eight.
The early parts of this game showed the high level that the ’Cats can play at, but the end revealed how far this team has to go to climb the summit of the Big Ten.
“No moral victories,” Collins said. “We’re trying to win basketball games.”
NU looks to rebound against its second top-ten opponent in a row at No. 7 Nebraska at noon on Sunday.
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