Buie scores 21, Barnhizer adds 20 to help Northwestern beat Western Michigan 63-59
Northwestern guard Boo Buie, left, drives as Western Michigan guard Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro guards during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
EVANSTON, Ill. — Boo Buie scored 21 points, Brooks Barnhizer added 20 points, seven rebounds and three steals and Northwestern blew a 12-point second-half lead before the Wildcats beat Western Michigan 63-59 Tuesday night.
Buie made 7 of 14 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and finished with five assists, two steals and no turnovers in 39 minutes.
JaVaughn Hannah hit a jumper, Brandon Muntu made a 3 and Titus Wright scored in the paint to cap a 7-1 surge for Western Michigan (0-3) that made it 54-all with 4:18 to play. Buie answered with a 3-pointer 17 seconds later to give the Wildcats the lead for good and followed with a jumper to give Northwestern (3-0) a five-point lead with 2:56 left.
Seth Hubbard hit a 3-pointer for the Broncos before Ryan Langborg made a jumper to make it 61-57 with 2 minutes remaining and the Broncos went 1 for 5 from the field with a turnover from there.
Hubbard, the only Western Michigan player to score in double figures, finished with 17 points on 7-of-21 shooting, 2 of 9 from 3-point range.
Barnhizer was fouled as he scored in the lane and hit a free throw to make it 17-16 with 8:38 left in the first half and Northwestern never again trailed. Barnhizer converted a three-point play with 3 seconds left in the first half, followed with another to open the second and then made a layup that gave the Wildcats their biggest lead of the game at 40-28 with 18:11 remaining.
UP NEXT
Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer, bottom, and Western Michigan guard Seth Hubbard battle for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill., Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
Western Michigan: The Broncos play at Ohio State on Sunday.
Northwestern: The Wildcats head to Uncasville, Connecticut, to play Rhode Island on Saturday at the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off.
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