Rapid Reaction: No. 17 Wisconsin’s hot three-point shooting too much for Northwestern in 75-69 loss

The ‘Cats had it for a moment.

The fight was there, but the finish wasn’t.

In a game Northwestern controlled for the first 30 minutes, Wisconsin proved why it’s among the toughest outs in the Big Ten. Powered by one of the conference’s most prolific scorers in John Tonje, the Badgers stormed back in the second half to hand the ‘Cats their third home loss of the season.

Without Brooks Barnhizer available, Jalen Leach continued his strong play with a team-high 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Nick Martinelli struggled from the field late, but still poured in 15 points and seven rebounds. Ty Berry’s 14 points off 4-for-8 three point shooting and Matthew Nicholson’s ten points and six boards put four Wildcats in double figures.

For the Badgers it was the John Tonje show. The sixth-year Missouri transfer poured in 27 points, including 16 consecutive points in the first half. Carter Gilmore killed the ‘Cats late, tallying a career-high 15 points boosted by a trio of three pointers. The Badgers hot shooting was the storyline late. In total a 13-for-32 day from beyond the arc, including 8-for-14 shooting in the second half was too much for a shorthanded Northwestern squad.

Leach opened the scoring for the Wildcats, canning an off-the-dribble three from the top of the arc on Northwestern’s first offensive possession. Leach continued to score off the bounce, using a screen from Nicholson to penetrate the lane for two more off glass. A possession later, Northwestern’s point guard found an open Berry in the corner, who swished a three for an early 8-0 Northwestern advantage. John Blackwell broke the slow start for the Badgers, finishing a right-handed layup off the dribble to cut Wisconsin’s deficit to six at the under-16 timeout.

Blackwell, doing his best Leach impression by scoring his team’s first five points, added a wing three to pull Wisconsin within three. As Northwestern’s offense slowed to a halt, Keenan Fitzmorris sank a baseline jumper, breaking a nearly five minute scoring drought to give the ‘Cats a 10-7 lead at the under-12 timeout.

Backed by intense defense from Angelo Ciaravino to strip Blackwell of the ball at midcourt, Northwestern tacked on a pair of Martinelli free throws to grow its lead back to five. But that was about as much offense as both teams could muster. With 7:49 to go in the first half, both squads had made a combined two of their last 19 field goal attempts as Northwestern’s strong defense kept pestering the Badgers, forcing four turnovers amidst Wisconsin’s 5:45 scoring drought heading into the under-eight.

John Tonje finally broke the ice, hitting a step-back three to cut Northwestern’s lead to two. That woke Justin Mullins up as the junior answered back with a corner splash of his own. After a technical assessed to Mullins celebrating his three, Tonje made a pair of free throws before tying the game up 15-15 with a swish from distance. Wisconsin’s leading point-per-game scorer continued to make it rain, sniping another three-ball as Wisconsin snatched its first lead of the afternoon.

After coach Chris Collins called timeout, Martinelli attacked the basket to pull Northwestern back within one. Moments later, Martinelli banged home a wing triple, before Tonje hopped inside the paint, tying things up 20-20. Following a pair of threes traded by Berry and Tonje, Berry added his third triple of the afternoon off a Nicholson screen assist, giving the Wildcats a 26-23 advantage at the final media timeout of the first half.

Northwestern extended the lead to 31-25 by the end of the first frame, using a Martinelli right elbow flipper and Leach’s second triple of the game to take a six point lead into the locker room. Powered by a strong defensive first half that limited the Badgers to 29% shooting, Northwestern’s balanced attack between nine points for Martinelli and Berry and eight points for Leach had Northwestern in front even with Tonje pouring in 16 straight first-half points.

Max Klesmit came out firing to start the second half, hitting a spinning paint look before nailing a wing three to get the Badgers within three. But Matthew Nicholson imposed his will in tight, rocking the rim off a Martinelli dish and slamming home a putback dunk off a missed three by Berry. As Nolan Winter and Leach traded triples, the ‘Cats held a 40-34 advantage heading into the under-16 timeout.

That’s when Northwestern’s offense found its groove by attacking the hoop on three straight possessions. First, it was Leach bouncing off Winter inside for a tough finish at the rim. On the next possession, Northwestern ran a set for its big man as Berry hoisted a lob to Nicholson who slammed home his third dunk of the game. Martinelli tacked on two more with a lefty look in-tight that toilet-bowled down. But thanks to a pair of made three pointers from Carter Gilmore and Tonje’s fifth triple of the game, Wisconsin inched within two, trailing 46-44 at the under-12.

The offense continued to flow for both squads as Mullins penetrated the lane for a right-handed layup. Gilmore responded with two from under the hoop, before Martinelli answered with a one-legged right elbow jumper. Klesmit and Leach traded buckets as Northwestern’s point guard backed down McGee for two more in the post. Tied 52-52, Wisconsin regained the lead thanks to Gilmore cleaning up a missed Tonje layup in transition, forcing Collins to call timeout with 9:17 left in regulation.

That didn’t solve Wisconsin’s hot shooting as Steven Crowl splashed a wing triple, giving Wisconsin a five point cushion. But Leach smartly picked out Berry in transition, who let his defender fly by before nailing a corner triple to pull the ‘Cats within two. That didn’t matter for Gilmore who canned another deep triple and made a pair of free throws to put Wisconsin up 64-55. Leach hit a three off a designed inbound play, but Wisconsin continued to convert from distance, with Winter nailing his second three of the afternoon.

Trailing by 11, Martinelli added two off a missed Ciaravino layup, but Tonje smelled blood in the water. The sixth-year got a mismatch with Nicholson and hit a baseline turnaround jumper over the big fella for a 71-60 Wisconsin advantage at the under-four.

Northwestern’s crowd got back into it thanks to a Leach lob to Nicholson, but Tonje responded with a tough finish inside in the dying embers of the shot clock. Leach continued to make plays, hitting a three inside of two minutes to get the ‘Cats within six. Northwestern kept up the intensity on the defensive side as Nicholson swatted away a Tonje look at the rim. On Northwestern’s next offensive possession, Leach had a great three point look toilet-bowl out as time slipped away on the Wildcats’ comeback bid.

The free throw shenanigans ensued, but the Badgers hot shooting late ultimately proved too much in Northwestern’s 75-69 loss.

Northwestern will be back in action Tuesday, hosting USC at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 8 p.m. CST.