Northwestern bested by Ohio State

Northwestern Falls To Ohio State 86-82 In Big Ten Conference Opener

Kevin Sweeney

Northwestern fell to Ohio State as both teams started Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes beat Northwestern 86-82 in this game. There is a cult built up around Northwestern making the NCAA Tournament. However, in this game, Ohio State was too tough for Northwestern.

The Wildcats are led by Nick Martinelli, who is shooting 71.4% from three-point range. He tied his high scoring effort of 32 points in this game. He is averaging 1.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Wildcats, while averaging 19.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Also strong for the Wildcats is Arrinten Page, who is shooting 60.8% and averaging 15.8 points. How many games do you think Ohio State will win in Big Ten play?

Northwestern and Ohio State Scoring Summary

Northwestern led 19-13 at 13:59 of the first half, but the Buckeyes battled back. They took the lead, powered by Bruce Thornton and leading scorer Brandon Noel, with 3:59 remaining in the first half. However, Ohio State scored only two points for the remainder of the first half, and Northwestern went into the halftime locker room with a 44-40 lead. That was somewhat surprising as the Buckeyes were heavily favored in this game.

The Wildcats started the second half on a mini run. That mini run had Angelo Ciaravino scoring for quick points right out of the gate, giving the Wildcats a 48-40 lead. Martinelli scored four points as the game went back and forth. His effort early in the second half was balanced by scoring for Ohio State from Bruce Thornton.

Ohio State used an 18-7 scoring outbreak later in the second half to take a 64-61 lead with 8:41 left before Page tied it with a 3-pointer. Noel then scored the next four points on two free throws and a layup. The Buckeyes later pushed the advantage to 81-73 with 2:10 remaining. The Wildcats made it 82-81 with 21 seconds to go before the Buckeyes sealed it from the free-throw line.

This was a close game throughout, with Ohio State only pulling away in the last minute. They started their Big Ten Conference season 1-0. They are 7-1 overall. The Wildcats fell to 0-2 in the conference. They are now 5-4 overall.

Thornton had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. Noel led the Buckeyes in scoring with 29 points.

News and Notes

  • Northwestern plays this game against Ohio State following an 85-73 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers. Page scored 21 points for the Wildcats in the loss.
  • The Wildcats are 3-0 in home games. Northwestern scores 81.0 points and has outscored opponents by 9.5 points per game.
  • The Buckeyes are 0-1 on the road. Ohio State is 1-1 in one-possession games.
  • The 81 points the Wildcats score per game is 13.7 more per game than the 67.3 Ohio State gives up. Ohio State averages 9.9 made 3-pointers this season, 2.5 more made shots on average than the 7.4 per game Northwestern allows.
  • Thornton is averaging 20.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists for the Buckeyes. He is probably the top performer for the Buckeyes, but they are getting balanced contributions. Christoph Tilly is averaging 15.6 points. Devin Royal and John Mobley Junior are also making contributions for Ohio State. Noel stepped up today.

Conclusion

The Big Ten Conference is difficult. Ohio State is fortunate that it began Big Ten play with a winnable game against the Wildcats. After escaping this game, things are about to get much more difficult for the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes host No. 15 Fighting Illini on December 9. They must continue to win if they hope to make the NCAA Tournament and save Head Coach John Diebler’s job.

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