Northwestern will go for back-to-back victories for the first time since mid-December when it tips off against Nebraska in a Big Ten Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Lincoln, Neb.
The Wildcats (10-10, 3-8 Big Ten) are coming off a 79-78 overtime victory at home against Rutgers on Tuesday night, which boosted them into a tie for 11th in the 14-team conference, a game ahead of Minnesota and three ahead of Nebraska, which remains winless in conference play.
Boo Buie scored 18 points and Chase Audige contributed 15 for Northwestern, which snapped a four-game losing streak.
“We all trust each other to knock down shots, to find the open guy,” Buie said. “My teammates hit a lot of shots late, along with Chase, who hit a couple shots. They know their role, and they know what they were supposed to do.”
Now, Northwestern will turn its attention to Nebraska (6-16, 0-11). The Cornhuskers have lost nine games in a row and are searching for their first win since Dec. 22 against Kennesaw State, and just their second since November.
Nebraska’s last four losses each have come by single digits. Most recently, in Tuesday’s 85-79 defeat at Michigan, Bryce McGowens led the Cornhuskers with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting.
“There’s not one person in this program that doesn’t have frustration,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said. “One thing I’ll tell you, these guys are continuing to go out there and battle. They’re practicing hard, which I know doesn’t mean anything, but they’re not laying down.”
McGowens leads the team with 17.0 points a game to go with 5.5 rebounds. Alonzo Verge is the only other player scoring in double figures, at 13.8.
Pete Nance is Northwestern’s top scorer with 15.9 points per game while leading the team in rebounds 6.9. Buie (14.8 points per game) and Audige (11.2) also average double-digit scoring.
The teams are scheduled for a rematch at Evanston, Ill., on Feb. 22.
–Field Level Media
