Tuesday, December 3
Iowa City, Iowa
6 p.m. CT
Northwestern
6-3,0-1Big Ten
79
at
80
Iowa
7-1,1-0Big Ten
1
2
F
Northwestern
34
45
79
Iowa
45
35
80
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Iowa Upends Northwestern at the Buzzer in Conference Opener, 80-79
12/3/2024 9:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball
IOWA CITY, IOWA - Despite fending off a 17-point Iowa lead, Northwestern fell 80-79 after Iowa's Josh Dix, threw in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer with less than one second on the second half clock in the Big Ten Conference opener on Tuesday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Wildcats' (6-3, 0-1 Big Ten) 79 points were the most points the Hawkeyes (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) allowed all season, as senior Brooks Barnhizer, graduate student Ty Berry and junior Nick Martinelli combined for 60 points. The three became the eighth trio of Wildcats to each score 19+ points in a game since 2005-06 and the first to do so since Northwestern upset No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 2, 2023, led by led by Boo Buie (31 points), Berry (21) and Ryan Langborg (20).
Barnhizer tallied his second consecutive double-double with team-highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, adding three assists and two steals while shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. His performance led him to his 15th career double-double and 10th career 20-point game. Berry had a season-high 20 points, canning 5-of-9 three-point attempts, while tying team-highs of four assists and two steals. His five treys were the most by a Wildcat this season. Martinelli added 19 points, five rebounds and a career-high four assists on 7-of-17 shooting.
Iowa got off to a blistering offensive start, scoring 36 points in the opening 15 minutes of action. With five minutes remaining in the half, the Hawkeyes led 36-19 on the heels of a 7-0 run.
The 'Cats then settled in offensively, converting on their final six field goals of the first half, with each basket coming from a different player. Redshirt sophomore Luke Hunger, junior Justin Mullins, graduate student Jalen Leach, Barnhizer, Berry and Martinelli all contributed to cutting the lead to 45-34 going into halftime.
During the first half, Iowa shot 17-of-26 (65.4%) from the field and 6-of-11 (54.5%) from beyond the arc.
Berry and Leach opened up the scoring for the 'Cats in the second half by each converting a 3-pointer. Northwestern soon went on a 13-1 run from 15:53 to 12:19 in the second half to cut the lead to one point. Barnhizer scored six points over this stretch, while Martinelli added four.
The 'Cats held the Hawkeyes without a field goal from 16:17 to 11:07 in the second half and took their first lead of the game with 11:32 remaining in the second half off a Hunger layup. A back-and-forth battle ensued.
With two minutes remaining in the game, Northwestern held its largest lead of the game with a 74-68 score after Martinelli converted each of the Wildcats' last three field goals.
Big Ten play continues for the Wildcats as they welcome No. 19 Illinois to Welsh-Ryan Arena for the conference home opener on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
The Wildcats' (6-3, 0-1 Big Ten) 79 points were the most points the Hawkeyes (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) allowed all season, as senior Brooks Barnhizer, graduate student Ty Berry and junior Nick Martinelli combined for 60 points. The three became the eighth trio of Wildcats to each score 19+ points in a game since 2005-06 and the first to do so since Northwestern upset No. 1 Purdue on Dec. 2, 2023, led by led by Boo Buie (31 points), Berry (21) and Ryan Langborg (20).
Barnhizer tallied his second consecutive double-double with team-highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, adding three assists and two steals while shooting 7-of-13 from the floor. His performance led him to his 15th career double-double and 10th career 20-point game. Berry had a season-high 20 points, canning 5-of-9 three-point attempts, while tying team-highs of four assists and two steals. His five treys were the most by a Wildcat this season. Martinelli added 19 points, five rebounds and a career-high four assists on 7-of-17 shooting.
Iowa got off to a blistering offensive start, scoring 36 points in the opening 15 minutes of action. With five minutes remaining in the half, the Hawkeyes led 36-19 on the heels of a 7-0 run.
The 'Cats then settled in offensively, converting on their final six field goals of the first half, with each basket coming from a different player. Redshirt sophomore Luke Hunger, junior Justin Mullins, graduate student Jalen Leach, Barnhizer, Berry and Martinelli all contributed to cutting the lead to 45-34 going into halftime.
During the first half, Iowa shot 17-of-26 (65.4%) from the field and 6-of-11 (54.5%) from beyond the arc.
Berry and Leach opened up the scoring for the 'Cats in the second half by each converting a 3-pointer. Northwestern soon went on a 13-1 run from 15:53 to 12:19 in the second half to cut the lead to one point. Barnhizer scored six points over this stretch, while Martinelli added four.
The 'Cats held the Hawkeyes without a field goal from 16:17 to 11:07 in the second half and took their first lead of the game with 11:32 remaining in the second half off a Hunger layup. A back-and-forth battle ensued.
With two minutes remaining in the game, Northwestern held its largest lead of the game with a 74-68 score after Martinelli converted each of the Wildcats' last three field goals.
Big Ten play continues for the Wildcats as they welcome No. 19 Illinois to Welsh-Ryan Arena for the conference home opener on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
Team Stats
NU
Iowa
FG%
.483
.545
3FG%
.381
.391
FT%
.813
.579
RB
36
26
TO
12
12
STL
8
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
19
FGM
9
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
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