Wednesday, December 20
Phoenix, Ariz.
7:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Arizona State
Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern and Arizona State Set to Square Off in Phoenix
12/19/2023 5:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern men's basketball team travels to the Valley of the Sun for a neutral site tilt against Arizona State as part of the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 20, inside Footprint Center in Phoenix, home of the NBA's Phoenix Suns. The game will air on ESPN2 with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Sean Farnham (analyst) on the call, and on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 388 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
The matchup features two former college teammates leading their respective teams, with Chris Collins guiding Northwestern against Bobby Hurley's Sun Devils squad. Collins and Hurley were teammates on the 1992-93 Duke team, which went 24-8 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats are 8-2 over their first 10 games for the third straight season after locking down local foe DePaul 56-46 in a road win on Saturday, Dec. 16. Nick Martinelli came off the bench to notch 16 points and five rebounds, and earn Fisher-McGrath Award honors, which is presented to the MVP of the Northwestern/DePaul game. The Wildcats held DePaul to a 28.9% clip (13-of-45) from the field, their lowest percentage allowed since holding No. 13 Auburn to a 26.0% (13-of-50) mark on Nov. 23, 2022.
Boo Buie enters Wednesday's contest needing three assists to become the third Wildcat to reach 500 career assists, and the first since current assistant coach Bryant McIntosh did so on Feb. 12, 2017, in an upset win at No. 7 Wisconsin. McIntosh is the school's all-time leader with 700 career assists. Buie is averaging 18.1 points (5th in B1G) and 5.0 assists (3rd in B1G) per game this season, one of just two high-major players in the country posting those numbers. His 1,722 career points rank fifth in program history.
Princeton transfer Ryan Langborg has provided a huge offensive lift to the Wildcats this season, especially from the behind the 3-point arc. Over the last five games, Langborg has drilled 19 treys and is shooting 66.0% (19-of-29) from deep, becoming the first Wildcat to hit 19 or more threes and shoot 60% or higher during a five-game stretch since 2010-11. The San Diego, Calif. native is averaging 17.8 points per game over the last five games.
Northwestern is posting 8.7 steals per game, which ranks second in the Big Ten. Brooks Barnhizer is second in the league recording 2.0 swipes per game, while Ty Berry ranks seventh averaging 1.6 steals per game. The Wildcats 64.8 points allowed per game ranks fourth in the conference.
Arizona State leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 4-2. Northwestern lost the most recent game of the series in Tempe 90-55 on Dec. 20, 2004. The Wildcats last win in the series was a 63-61 triumph inside Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 17, 2003.
The Sun Devils are 6-4 this season and most recently fell 79-59 at TCU on Saturday, Dec. 16. Jose Perez leads the team averaging 13.0 points per game, while Jamiya Neal (5.9) and Frankie Collins (5.8) are the team's top rebounders. Collins ranks fifth in the country recording 3.0 steals per game.
Northwestern returns home to Welsh-Ryan Arena for its next game against Jackson State at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 29. The game will stream on Peacock and ESPN 1000 WMVP.
The matchup features two former college teammates leading their respective teams, with Chris Collins guiding Northwestern against Bobby Hurley's Sun Devils squad. Collins and Hurley were teammates on the 1992-93 Duke team, which went 24-8 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats are 8-2 over their first 10 games for the third straight season after locking down local foe DePaul 56-46 in a road win on Saturday, Dec. 16. Nick Martinelli came off the bench to notch 16 points and five rebounds, and earn Fisher-McGrath Award honors, which is presented to the MVP of the Northwestern/DePaul game. The Wildcats held DePaul to a 28.9% clip (13-of-45) from the field, their lowest percentage allowed since holding No. 13 Auburn to a 26.0% (13-of-50) mark on Nov. 23, 2022.
Boo Buie enters Wednesday's contest needing three assists to become the third Wildcat to reach 500 career assists, and the first since current assistant coach Bryant McIntosh did so on Feb. 12, 2017, in an upset win at No. 7 Wisconsin. McIntosh is the school's all-time leader with 700 career assists. Buie is averaging 18.1 points (5th in B1G) and 5.0 assists (3rd in B1G) per game this season, one of just two high-major players in the country posting those numbers. His 1,722 career points rank fifth in program history.
Princeton transfer Ryan Langborg has provided a huge offensive lift to the Wildcats this season, especially from the behind the 3-point arc. Over the last five games, Langborg has drilled 19 treys and is shooting 66.0% (19-of-29) from deep, becoming the first Wildcat to hit 19 or more threes and shoot 60% or higher during a five-game stretch since 2010-11. The San Diego, Calif. native is averaging 17.8 points per game over the last five games.
Northwestern is posting 8.7 steals per game, which ranks second in the Big Ten. Brooks Barnhizer is second in the league recording 2.0 swipes per game, while Ty Berry ranks seventh averaging 1.6 steals per game. The Wildcats 64.8 points allowed per game ranks fourth in the conference.
Arizona State leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 4-2. Northwestern lost the most recent game of the series in Tempe 90-55 on Dec. 20, 2004. The Wildcats last win in the series was a 63-61 triumph inside Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 17, 2003.
The Sun Devils are 6-4 this season and most recently fell 79-59 at TCU on Saturday, Dec. 16. Jose Perez leads the team averaging 13.0 points per game, while Jamiya Neal (5.9) and Frankie Collins (5.8) are the team's top rebounders. Collins ranks fifth in the country recording 3.0 steals per game.
Northwestern returns home to Welsh-Ryan Arena for its next game against Jackson State at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 29. The game will stream on Peacock and ESPN 1000 WMVP.
Players Mentioned
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