WHO: Northwestern Wildcats (15-5, 6-3 Big Ten)
WHEN: 8:07 PM CT
WHERE: Caver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, IA)
TV: BTN (Jeff Levering and Jess Settles)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen) | Sirius/XM TBD
MOBILE: www.foxsports.com/mobile
ONLINE: www.foxsports.com/live
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaHoops | @IowaonBTN
LINE: Iowa -7
KENPOM: Iowa -4 (65% chance of winning)
G Tony Perkins (10.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.4 bpg, 39.6 FG%, 30.0 3FG%)
G Ahron Ulis (7.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.2 bpg, 40.9 FG%, 32.7 3FG%)
F Connor McCaffery (7.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.0 bpg, 43.8 FG%, 37.3 3FG%)
F Kris Murray (20.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.2 bpg, 50.6 FG%, 35.5 3FG%)
F Filip Rebraca (13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 56.5 FG%, 40 3FG%)
Northwestern
G Boo Buie (15.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, 37.7 FG%, 28.5 3FG%)
G Chase Audige (15.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.8 bpg, 40.3 FG%, 36.1 3FG%)
G Ty Berry (9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.2 bpg, 37.6 FG%, 33.0 3FG%)
F Robbie Beran(9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, 39.0 FG%, 36.1 3FG%)
C Matthew Nicholson (6.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 53.8% FG, 0.0%)
So how has a Northwestern team that went 9-15 two years ago and just 15-16 last season managed to climb to second-place in the Big Ten this year? It starts with the excellent play of senior guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige, who might comprise the Big Ten's best back court. Both men are averaging nearly 16 ppg to lead the team, while Buie is also chipping in with 4.4 assists per game. Buie has largely picked up where he left off a season ago -- and when healthy, he's been one of Northwestern's best and most productive players for the last 3-4 seasons -- but Audige's game has made significant progress. His shooting numbers have taken a step forward across the board (he went from 26% to 36% on 3s, 39% to 44% on 2s, and 71% to 86% on free throws), all while shooting at a much higher volume than last year. Buie and Audige, as well as third guard Ty Berry, could give Iowa's guards all they can handle in this matchup.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/preview-iowa-mbb-vs-northwestern
WHEN: 8:07 PM CT
WHERE: Caver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, IA)
TV: BTN (Jeff Levering and Jess Settles)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen) | Sirius/XM TBD
MOBILE: www.foxsports.com/mobile
ONLINE: www.foxsports.com/live
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaHoops | @IowaonBTN
LINE: Iowa -7
KENPOM: Iowa -4 (65% chance of winning)
PROJECTED STARTING FIVE
IowaG Tony Perkins (10.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.4 bpg, 39.6 FG%, 30.0 3FG%)
G Ahron Ulis (7.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.2 bpg, 40.9 FG%, 32.7 3FG%)
F Connor McCaffery (7.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.0 bpg, 43.8 FG%, 37.3 3FG%)
F Kris Murray (20.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.2 bpg, 50.6 FG%, 35.5 3FG%)
F Filip Rebraca (13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 56.5 FG%, 40 3FG%)
Northwestern
G Boo Buie (15.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, 37.7 FG%, 28.5 3FG%)
G Chase Audige (15.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.8 bpg, 40.3 FG%, 36.1 3FG%)
G Ty Berry (9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.2 bpg, 37.6 FG%, 33.0 3FG%)
F Robbie Beran(9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, 39.0 FG%, 36.1 3FG%)
C Matthew Nicholson (6.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.4 bpg, 53.8% FG, 0.0%)
PREVIEW
Northwestern went 3-0 last week in their return to action after a brief pause due to an inability to field enough players as a result of positive COVID tests and injuries within the program. Those three wins came over Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Minnesota and helped the Wildcats get back on track after losing their two previous games (Rutgers at home, Michigan away) before their short hiatus. Those wins also improved Northwestern to 6-3, which is good for solo second-place in the Big Ten standings after Iowa knocked off Rutgers on Sunday.So how has a Northwestern team that went 9-15 two years ago and just 15-16 last season managed to climb to second-place in the Big Ten this year? It starts with the excellent play of senior guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige, who might comprise the Big Ten's best back court. Both men are averaging nearly 16 ppg to lead the team, while Buie is also chipping in with 4.4 assists per game. Buie has largely picked up where he left off a season ago -- and when healthy, he's been one of Northwestern's best and most productive players for the last 3-4 seasons -- but Audige's game has made significant progress. His shooting numbers have taken a step forward across the board (he went from 26% to 36% on 3s, 39% to 44% on 2s, and 71% to 86% on free throws), all while shooting at a much higher volume than last year. Buie and Audige, as well as third guard Ty Berry, could give Iowa's guards all they can handle in this matchup.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/preview-iowa-mbb-vs-northwestern
