Wisconsin, Northwest Boosts Tournament Qualification

With just one month left in the regular season, each visiting Northwest and Wisconsin will battle for postseason positions in Sunday’s Big Ten matchup in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin (13-8, 5-6 Big Ten), who have participated in 22 of the last 23 NCAA Tournaments, finished 65-60 in Ohio State Thursday despite not making a field goal in the final 7:18. has been victorious. The Badgers, who entered Tournament Rock ranked 14th after their first of the year, had lost six of seven before holding off the Buckeyes.

Northwestern (15-7, 6-5) made only one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017, losing 68-51 at home to Michigan on Thursday.

In their first meeting two weeks ago, the Wildcats overcame a 57-54 deficit to win 66-63 at home and snap a seven-game losing streak against Wisconsin. Northwestern has not won in Madison since his 60–52 victory on February 1, 2018, and has not swept his series in a season since 1996.

Against Ohio State, the Badgers led 62-47, but only saw the Buckeyes close within 62-60 with 30 seconds remaining. Chucky Hepburn clinched the win as he made 3 of 4 free throws in his 24.2 seconds at the end.

“The J’s had a really good first half tonight,” Wisconsin manager Greg Gard said. But we did it, and obviously we didn’t execute well in the second half…in the last seven minutes. Being in a position where you can learn from it.

Wisconsin finished last in the Big Ten in free-throw shots in the conference game, just 13-of-22 from the line against the Buckeyes. The Badgers also hit on the board 45-26 and recorded his ninth outbound rebound in the last 10 games.

Hepburn and Stephen Kroll average 12.4 and Tyler Wall averages 12.2. Freshman guard Connor Esegian (10.8 points) has started in his last five games and posted his team-high 17 points against Ohio State.

Wisconsin has 12 games won 8-4 by 5 points or less.

Northwestern trailed Michigan by just one in the first half, but shot 55.6% in the second half.

Boo Buie is averaging 16.2 points and leading the conference in free throw percentage (90.2). Chase Odige added his 15.5 points to lead the Big Ten in steals (58) and ranked fifth nationally with 2.64 per game, while Matthew Nicholson added his team-high 6.2 boards per game. I have.

“In the Big Ten, everyone beats each other,” said Northwestern coach Chris Collins. “There is no team outside of Purdue State that hasn’t lost hard here or had a tough week with two losses. All you have to do is pick yourself up after that. For us, we’ve done it. Now we’re in position. We’ve lost two times in a row. We have to get back on track, somehow, find a win.

–Field level media