No. 21 Northwestern will try to continue its late-season surge when it travels to Illinois on Thursday night. The Wildcats have rattled off five consecutive wins to jump into the top 25 for the first time this season. Illinois has lost three of its last five games, but it is coming off a 78-69 win over Minnesota on Monday.
Northwestern has been consistently winning games throughout the season, and the Wildcats have finally earned recognition for that. They have won five straight games and eight of their last 10, beating then-No. 1 Purdue and then-No. 14 Indiana during that stretch. Their latest win was an 80-60 decision against Iowa on Sunday, which finally bumped them into the top 25 of the latest poll. They wrapped up a three-game homestand with that win over the Hawkeyes, and they will now go on the road for three of their final four games of the regular season. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Northwestern as a No. 6 seed in his latest NCAA Tournament projections.
“Quietly” becoming one of the best atmospheres in the country, @NUWildside. pic.twitter.com/r6fXhLyz3M
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) February 22, 2023
The Wildcats have relied on their defense to win games, as they are outside the top 100 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. They have not been shooting the ball well, ranked No. 306 in effective field goal percentage, shooting 31.8% from 3-point range and 47.7% from inside the arc. Northwestern’s strength on that end has been a turnover rate that is No. 17 nationally. The Wildcats are facing an Illinois defense that is No. 22 in field goal percentage. Senior guard Boo Buie leads Northwestern with 17.0 points, 4.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, while senior guard Chase Audige is adding 14.8 points per game.
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