Northwestern Basketball: Wildcats stun Wisconsin in Madison
Bryant’s McIntosh’s 25 points and shutdown interior defense led Northwestern basketball to a stunning upset over Wisconsin
Wisconsin entered Sunday’s Big Ten showdown against Northwestern with a better national ranking, Big Ten record, and home court advantage, but it was the Wildcats who took home the win in an upset in Madison.
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Wisconsin, who fell to 21-4 and 10-2 in the Big Ten, is ranked No. 7 in the nation, whereas Northwestern entered unranked, missing leading point scorer Scottie Lindsey and reeling after two straight losses. However, fantastic shooting, particularly from three, and an enormous performance from point guard Bryant McIntosh (25 points, seven assists, seven rebounds) earned the Wildcats a signature win for their tournament profile. Adding to the enormity of the victory, the upset was only the ‘Cats’ second victory in Madison in 20 years.
McIntosh’s career game came on the heels of a disappointing loss to a low-ranking Illinois team. The loss clearly haunted McIntosh, who left the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena visibly disheartened, after his 21 points were not enough. The McIntosh that left Kohl Center on Sunday could not have been more different. The win elated the 6’3” junior guard, who played all 40 minutes.
"“A lot of teams can fall apart when they have lost two in a row and are without their leading scorer, but we recognized that we couldn’t feel sorry for ourselves and that resolve showed tonight,” he said, per Inside NU."
McIntosh earned praise for his perseverance and sharp shooting from both coaches as well. Coach Chris Collins, a former Duke player, jokingly admitted, “I thought I was a gunner, but I never put 25 up in a game,” according to USA Today. Additionally, Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said that McIntosh was the “best player on the floor, hands down.”
Initially, the game was all Wisconsin though. Ethan Happ and Nigel Hayes found openings in the front court and exploited the defense to go up 19-12. Then, McIntosh and the ‘Cats found their groove on both ends of the court.
On offense, Northwestern started hitting their shots. Vic Law and Nathan Taphorn came up big from three multiple times, while McIntosh hit clutch jumpers. On the other end, Dererk Pardon and a rotating cast of defenders’ double team on Wisconsin star big man Ethan Happ effectively shut him down. The Wildcat defense limited the sophomore to 13 points and seven boards on the night.
By neutralizing Happ and getting hot from deep, the Wildcats embarked on a 16-0 run. They entered the locker room at the half up by a score of 31-22.
Collins attributed the Cats’ eventual win to said defense, and particularly the decision to double down on Happ.
"“I thought our defense was the story of the game,” Collins said. “I was really proud of our team defense against a team with so many weapons. We did a really good job communicating on our double teams.”"
Not to be outdone, though, Wisconsin came into the second half recharged, scoring 10 unanswered points. In a reversal of the first half, the Badgers began to hit their threes while McIntosh and others came up empty.
Down one, Vic Law again reversed the momentum by hitting a three to jumpstart the Northwestern offense. Emboldened, McIntosh found his stroke again. Additionally, Sanjay Lumpkin and Pardon crashed the boards and scored in the paint, proving critically important.
From there, the two teams began trading buckets, with Northwestern still protected by the lead. However, fans in the Kohl Center began to get rowdy after Nigel Hayes scored three points on an And-1 lay up. However, a Sanjay Lumpkin corner 3 soon quieted fans, bringing the score to 54-47. Though guard Zack Showalter and the Badgers continued to hit their shots, McIntosh seemingly negated every basket. He hit impressive jumpers and pull-up shots to keep Northwestern’s lead at a healthy margin.
Near the end, the Badgers cut the lead to 55-50. But, well-timed shots from Lumpkin and McIntosh closed out the game for Northwestern, who completed the upset and won 66-59. Energized, Lumpkin couldn’t help himself from taking a steal down the court for an electrifying dunk with four seconds to play, though the game was already well in the hands of the ‘Cats.
"“I apologized to Wisconsin’s staff and the team,” Collins said, of Lumpkin’s dunk, according to the Chicago Tribune. ” We all got a little bit excited. We knew we accomplished something good.”"
The upset victory has many implications, for the Wildcats and beyond.
For the Big Ten, the win further shakes up the standings, as Wisconsin was No. 1 in the conference. While they remain in first, Purdue and Maryland are just 1.5 games behind. In an already cluttered Big Ten, the upset further confuses the pecking order.
Finally, the Big Ten has lagged behind other Power Five conferences this year, with only three teams represented in the AP Top 25 (Wisconsin, Purdue, and Maryland). With this loss, Wisconsin, the Big Ten’s lone top 10 team, will certainly fall, as will bracket makers’ estimation of the conference.
In Evanston, the upset could not be more monumental or opportune. With a win over a top-10 team now on its resume, Northwestern has essentially stamped its ticket to the Big Dance — the team’s first in history. The big win caused Collins to envision the type of success he’s trying to create at Northwestern year in and year out.
"“We’re trying to build a program to emulate what Wisconsin has done,” he said. “It was a great win for us.”"
Next: Where does Northwestern and the rest of the Big Ten stand in our Bracketology?
Northwestern’s next game is at home against the Maryland Terrapins on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Badgers look to right the ship Thursday in Ann Arbor, where they will take on the Wolverines at 7 p.m.