Sunday, January 7
Evanston, Ill.
6:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Michigan State
Photo by: GRIFFIN QUINN/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Welcome Spartans to Sold Out Welsh-Ryan Arena
1/6/2024 2:00:00β―PM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. β Northwestern men's basketball returns to Evanston for its first home game of 2024Β on Sunday, Jan. 7 when it hosts Michigan State at 6:30 p.m. CT in front of a sold out Welsh-Ryan Arena. The contest will air on BTN with Brandon GaudinΒ (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst), and Andy Katz (sideline) 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 388.
Last time out, the Wildcats (10-3, 1-1 B1G)Β fell 96-66 at No. 9 Illinois on Tuesday night. Boo Buie paced all Wildcats with 20 points, his seventh time reaching the 20-point mark this season. Luke Hunger posted a career-high 10 pointsΒ off the bench on 4-for-6 shooting and 2-for-3 from three-point range.
Northwestern has been one of the best teams in the country at taking care of the ball this year, leading the Big Ten and ranking seventh nationally, averaging just 9.1 turnovers per game.Β Defensively, the Wildcats also force 14.0 turnovers per game, the fourth-most in the Big Ten. NU's turnover margin of +4.9 leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally.
NU's 7.6 steals per game rank fifth in the Big Ten. Brooks Barnhizer's 1.9 steals per game ranks second-most in the conference, while Ty Berry's 1.5 steals per game ranks eighth-most among Big Ten players.
Buie is averaging 18.1 points per game (seventh in Big Ten) and 4.5 assists per game (fifth most in Big Ten). He is one of only three high-major players averaging 18-plus points and 4.5-plus assists per game this season.
Over his career against MSU, Buie is averaging 17.5 points and 3.3 assistsΒ per game. In three victories over the Spartans, Buie has scored 26 (Dec. 18, 2019), 30 (Dec. 20, 2020), and 20 (Dec. 4, 2022).Β
Berry and Ryan Langborg are the first Northwestern duo since at least 2010-11 to connect on 29 or more three-pointers while shooting above 40% from behind the arc through 13 games. Berry has made 10 threes in his last three games, the most over a three-game span in his career.
Michigan State (9-5, 1-2 B1G)Β holds a 94-41 advantage all-time over Northwestern, while the 'Cats have taken three of the last four meetings between the two schools on the hardwood. Northwestern is seeking its first three-game win streak over the Spartans since 1961-62.
MSU has won five consecutive games, including an 88-64 win over No. 6 Baylor at Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit. Tyson Walker leads all Spartans, averaging 20.2 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten.
Northwestern hits the road as it travels to Penn State on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN and WGN Radio 720.
Last time out, the Wildcats (10-3, 1-1 B1G)Β fell 96-66 at No. 9 Illinois on Tuesday night. Boo Buie paced all Wildcats with 20 points, his seventh time reaching the 20-point mark this season. Luke Hunger posted a career-high 10 pointsΒ off the bench on 4-for-6 shooting and 2-for-3 from three-point range.
Northwestern has been one of the best teams in the country at taking care of the ball this year, leading the Big Ten and ranking seventh nationally, averaging just 9.1 turnovers per game.Β Defensively, the Wildcats also force 14.0 turnovers per game, the fourth-most in the Big Ten. NU's turnover margin of +4.9 leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally.
NU's 7.6 steals per game rank fifth in the Big Ten. Brooks Barnhizer's 1.9 steals per game ranks second-most in the conference, while Ty Berry's 1.5 steals per game ranks eighth-most among Big Ten players.
Buie is averaging 18.1 points per game (seventh in Big Ten) and 4.5 assists per game (fifth most in Big Ten). He is one of only three high-major players averaging 18-plus points and 4.5-plus assists per game this season.
Over his career against MSU, Buie is averaging 17.5 points and 3.3 assistsΒ per game. In three victories over the Spartans, Buie has scored 26 (Dec. 18, 2019), 30 (Dec. 20, 2020), and 20 (Dec. 4, 2022).Β
Berry and Ryan Langborg are the first Northwestern duo since at least 2010-11 to connect on 29 or more three-pointers while shooting above 40% from behind the arc through 13 games. Berry has made 10 threes in his last three games, the most over a three-game span in his career.
Michigan State (9-5, 1-2 B1G)Β holds a 94-41 advantage all-time over Northwestern, while the 'Cats have taken three of the last four meetings between the two schools on the hardwood. Northwestern is seeking its first three-game win streak over the Spartans since 1961-62.
MSU has won five consecutive games, including an 88-64 win over No. 6 Baylor at Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit. Tyson Walker leads all Spartans, averaging 20.2 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten.
Northwestern hits the road as it travels to Penn State on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m. CT on BTN and WGN Radio 720.
Players Mentioned
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