Saturday, January 13
Madison, Wis.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
at
#15 Wisconsin
Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics
'Cats Battle No. 15 Badgers for First Place in Big Ten
1/11/2024 7:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Winners of five of its last six games, Northwestern men's basketball travels to Madison for an 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 13, against No. 15 Wisconsin at the Kohl Center in a battle for first place in the Big Ten. The contest will air on BTN with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Brian Butch (analyst) on the call, while Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst) will have the radio call on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 385.
Last time out, the Wildcats (12-3, 3-1 B1G) downed Penn State 76-72 to move to 3-1 in Big Ten play for the second consecutive year and just the fifth time in the last 56 seasons. With the win, the 'Cats improved to 3-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1966-67 and 1967-68. Trailing 55-47 in the second half, the Wildcats exploded for a 15-0 run, taking the lead for good on a Nick Martinelli floater with 11:25 remaining.
Brooks Barnhizer notched a career-high 23 points, scoring 20-plus points for the second time in his career. Barnhizer is on pace to set career highs, averaging 13.9 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game.
Ty Berry poured in 16 points against the Nittany Lions on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Berry is shooting 45.7% from behind the arc, trailing only Jamison Battle (Ohio State, 46.8%) for the Big Ten lead (min. 80 attempts). Berry is averaging 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 59.2% from the field and 58.1% from behind the arc over his last five games, the highest scoring stretch of his career. Berry's 37 three-pointers are the most by a Wildcat over the first 15 games of the season since John Shurna connected on 41 three-pointers in 2011-12.
Boo Buie chipped in 17 points and eight assists in Happy Valley, notching 18 helpers over his last two games, the most over a two-game stretch in his career. Buie moved into fourth place all-time in the Northwestern record book with 1,812 points career, passing Evan Eschmeyer (1995-1999, 1,805). Buie has recorded 524 career assists, which ranks third in school history. He is only four assists from tying Michael "Juice" Thompson for second-most (528).
The win at Penn State gave Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins his 71st career Big Ten win, moving him into second place all-time in the program's record book, trailing only Arthur "Dutch" Lonborg (1927-50), who holds the school record with 138 career Big Ten wins.
Northwestern and Wisconsin (12-3, 4-0 B1G) will meet for the 192nd time, with the Badgers holding a 120-71 all-time lead in the series. Last season, the Wildcats swept the season series for the first time since 1995-96. Chris Collins boasts the third-most wins of any active visiting Big Ten head coach inside the Kohl Center, trailing Tom Izzo (10) and Matt Painter (5).
Northwestern is averaging 80.5 points per game is Big Ten Conference games, its most over the first four league games of a season since 1970-71 (80.8 ppg).
No. 15 Wisconsin is 4-0 in Big Ten play, most recently defeating Ohio State 71-60 in Columbus. AJ Storr (14.9), Steven Crowl (12.1), and Tyler Wahl (11.8) are all averaging in double figures for the Badgers.
Northwestern returns home to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday, January 18 at 8 p.m. CT when it takes on Maryland on BTN and ESPN 1000 WMVP.
Last time out, the Wildcats (12-3, 3-1 B1G) downed Penn State 76-72 to move to 3-1 in Big Ten play for the second consecutive year and just the fifth time in the last 56 seasons. With the win, the 'Cats improved to 3-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1966-67 and 1967-68. Trailing 55-47 in the second half, the Wildcats exploded for a 15-0 run, taking the lead for good on a Nick Martinelli floater with 11:25 remaining.
Brooks Barnhizer notched a career-high 23 points, scoring 20-plus points for the second time in his career. Barnhizer is on pace to set career highs, averaging 13.9 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game.
Ty Berry poured in 16 points against the Nittany Lions on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Berry is shooting 45.7% from behind the arc, trailing only Jamison Battle (Ohio State, 46.8%) for the Big Ten lead (min. 80 attempts). Berry is averaging 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 59.2% from the field and 58.1% from behind the arc over his last five games, the highest scoring stretch of his career. Berry's 37 three-pointers are the most by a Wildcat over the first 15 games of the season since John Shurna connected on 41 three-pointers in 2011-12.
Boo Buie chipped in 17 points and eight assists in Happy Valley, notching 18 helpers over his last two games, the most over a two-game stretch in his career. Buie moved into fourth place all-time in the Northwestern record book with 1,812 points career, passing Evan Eschmeyer (1995-1999, 1,805). Buie has recorded 524 career assists, which ranks third in school history. He is only four assists from tying Michael "Juice" Thompson for second-most (528).
The win at Penn State gave Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins his 71st career Big Ten win, moving him into second place all-time in the program's record book, trailing only Arthur "Dutch" Lonborg (1927-50), who holds the school record with 138 career Big Ten wins.
Northwestern and Wisconsin (12-3, 4-0 B1G) will meet for the 192nd time, with the Badgers holding a 120-71 all-time lead in the series. Last season, the Wildcats swept the season series for the first time since 1995-96. Chris Collins boasts the third-most wins of any active visiting Big Ten head coach inside the Kohl Center, trailing Tom Izzo (10) and Matt Painter (5).
Northwestern is averaging 80.5 points per game is Big Ten Conference games, its most over the first four league games of a season since 1970-71 (80.8 ppg).
No. 15 Wisconsin is 4-0 in Big Ten play, most recently defeating Ohio State 71-60 in Columbus. AJ Storr (14.9), Steven Crowl (12.1), and Tyler Wahl (11.8) are all averaging in double figures for the Badgers.
Northwestern returns home to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday, January 18 at 8 p.m. CT when it takes on Maryland on BTN and ESPN 1000 WMVP.
Players Mentioned
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