3-point surge powers Northwestern past NIU

Field Level Media|published: Mon 27th November, 22:05 2023

Nov 18, 2023; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins during the second half against Rhode Island Rams at Mohegan Sun Arena. credits: Mark Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Boo Buie had 23 points and seven assists and Matthew Nicholson added 15 points as Northwestern defeated Northern Illinois 89-67 on Monday night in Evanston, Ill.

The Wildcats (5-1) created distance from the Huskies (5-2) behind a 13-2 run early in the second half. A putback jumper from Northern Illinois' Xavier Amos, who led all scorers with 26 points, tied the game at 48 with 17:52 remaining before a 3-point barrage put Northwestern in control.

Buie drilled two treys and Ty Berry added another over a 1:23 span to jump-start the spurt, which was punctuated by Brooks Barnhizer's layup off a Buie steal.

Northwestern shot 60.7 percent en route to posting a season-high point total. The Wildcats went 9-for-19 from 3-point range.

Northern Illinois finished at 47.4 percent from the floor, as Zarique Nutter (15 points) and David Coit (12) joined Amos in double figures.

Amos, a sophomore, eclipsed his previous career high of 21 points, shooting 11-for-15 while snagging a team-best seven rebounds. Buie was 8-for-11, and both he and Amos were 4-for-5 from deep.

Berry (14 points), Nick Martinelli (11) and Barnhizer (10) rounded out a balanced attack for the Wildcats. Barnhizer led Northwestern with eight rebounds. Nicholson added six boards and six assists, while Berry had five steals.

Northwestern led by as many as 26 points down the stretch. Northern Illinois' largest lead was three early in the second half.

Both teams shot over 50 percent in the first half, and Northern Illinois took a 42-41 lead into the break.

Amos dashed to the hottest start, scoring 19 first-half points on 8-for-9 shooting, including makes on each of his three attempts from long range. Coit had 10 points at the half, while Nicholson and Martinelli paced the Wildcats with nine apiece.

Northwestern scored six points in 28 seconds to go ahead by 11 with 11:23 remaining in the first half, but the Huskies responded, taking their first lead of the night about six minutes later.

The Wildcats stretched their winning streak against Northern Illinois to five games while taking an 11-2 lead in the all-time series between the in-state rivals.

—Field Level Media