'Cats Battle Broncos in NCAA Tournament First Round

NORTHWESTERN MEN'S BASKETBALL: GAME INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	WATCH	LIVE STATS
Thursday, March 16	No. 10 Boise State	6:35 p.m. CT	Golden 1 Center Sacramento, Calif.	truTV	Live Stats
Radio: ESPN 1000 WMVP/WGN Radio 720 \| Twitter: @NUMensBball \| Instagram: @numensbball

EVANSTON, Ill. – Making its second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, No. 7-seed Northwestern will face No. 10-seed Boise State on Thursday, March 16 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The matchup will tip off at 6:35 p.m. CT on truTV, ESPN 1000 WMVP, and WGN Radio 720, with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Brendan Haywood (analyst), and Dana Jacobson (sideline) on truTV, with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst) on the call on the radio.

The NCAA Tournament berth is NU's first since 2016-17, when the program made its first trip to the Big Dance. The Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt 68-66 behind 25 points from current assistant coach Bryant McIntosh before bowing out to eventual National Runner-Up Gonzaga 79-73 in the Second Round. Northwestern's No. 7-seed is the highest seed in program history.

Last time out, the Wildcats fell in overtime to Penn State for the second time in as many weeks in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal. Northwestern turned the Nittany Lions over a season-high 15 times, but it wasn't enough as the potential game-winner fell short at the buzzer to give Penn State a 67-65 overtime win. Brooks Barnhizer posted 15 points and hauled in a career-high 11 rebounds for his second-consecutive double-double and the second double-double of his career. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native's 15 points marked his sixth-straight game in double figures. Boo Buie led all scorers with 16 points.

In addition to the NCAA Tournament Selection, numerous Wildcats have received individual honors within the past week. Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins was named NABC District 7 Coach of the Year and was voted as a semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year award. Chase Audige was named a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the NABC District 7 Second Team. Buie also received NABC District 7 Second Team honors and was named to the USBWA District V All-District Team.

The Wildcats racked up 12 wins in league play, the most in school history en route to a second place finish, NU's best Big Ten finish since placing second in 1958-59. NU's 21 regular season wins also tied a program record, matching the 21 wins tallied during the 2016-17 regular season.

The experienced duo of Audige and Buie has proven to be one of college basketball's best backcourts this season. Buie (first) and Audige (secondf) were named All-Big Ten, becoming the first NU teammates to be named first and second team since Rick Lopossa (first) and Rich Falk (second) in 1963-64.

Buie leads Northwestern in both points (17.1) and assists per game (4.5), and is one of only three high-major players in the country averaging at least 17 points and 4.5 assists per game this season. Buie is the first Northwestern player to average over 17 points per game since John Shurna tallied 20.0 points per game in 2010-11. His 87.6% free-throw percentage leads all Big Ten players and ranks 36th nationally. Buie's 548 points during the 2022-23 campaign ranks seventh-most in a single season in program history, five points behind Michael Thompson's 553 points in the 2010-11 season for sixth place.

Chase Audige has registered 76 steals this season, leading the Big Ten and ranking eighth nationally. Additionally, Audige's 76 thefts are second-most in a single-season in Northwestern history, trailing only Patrick Baldwin's 1991 total of 90.

Audige has been a key cog in a resurgent Northwestern defense this season, a unit that ranks second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game. Northwestern's 62.5 points per game marks a 7.4-point improvement from the 2021-22 team's average of 69.9 points allowed per game. Northwestern's 62.5 points per game allowed this season is the program's best mark since 2008-09 (60.5). The Wildcats are 20-1 when holding opponents to 64 points or fewer.

Brooks Barnhizer has tallied double-doubles in back-to-back games off the bench. Barnhizer became the first Northwestern reserve to record a double-double since Barrett Benson posted 12 points and 14 rebounds against Binghamton on November 16, 2018.

Boise State enters Thursday's matchup at 24-9 and 13-5 in Mountain West play. The Broncos fell 72-62 to Utah State in the Mountain West Conference Tournament Semifinals. While Northwestern and Boise State have never squared off on the hardwood, the Wildcats are 4-6 all-time against the current alignment of the Mountain West.

The Broncos present a balanced offensive attack, with all five projected starters averaging double figures. Each member of Boise State's starting five has scored in double figures on six occasions this season, the second-most in the country, trailing only Creighton. Tyson Degenhart leads the Broncos in scoring, posting 14.3 points per game. Senior guard Marcus Shaver averages 13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

The winner of Thursday's matchup will advance to the Round of 32, where they will face the winner of No. 2-seed UCLA and No. 15-seed UNC Asheville on Saturday, March 18 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

'Cats Battle Broncos in NCAA Tournament First Round

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Players Mentioned

Chase Audige

Brooks Barnhizer

Boo Buie

Northwestern University Athletics