Wildcats Visit Madison to Battle Badgers

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern men’s basketball team will look to win sweep the regular season series against Wisconsin for the first time since 1995-96 as it travels to the Kohl Center at 5:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, Feb. 5. The game will be televised on BTN with Jeff Levering (play-by-play) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the call, while Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst) will describe the action on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 383.
 
The Wildcats (15-7, 6-5 B1G) defeated Wisconsin 66-63 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena earlier this season on Jan. 23. Boo Buie led the way in the January win, pumping in 20 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists as the ‘Cats snapped a seven-game losing skid to the Badgers. NU defeated Wisconsin 62-52 on Jan. 20, 1996 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena and won in Madison 82-71 on Feb. 21, 1996 for its last season sweep against the Badgers.

In its last game on Thursday night Northwestern fell at home to Michigan, 68-51. Buie was team’s catalyst offensively, scoring or assisting on 17 of the team’s 21 made field goals. He logged 23 points and tied his season-high of eight assists. Chase Audige contributed 10 points and added his seventh four-steal game of the season. Northwestern trailed 26-25 at halftime, but Michigan used a 12-0 run in the early stages of the second half to pull away.

 

Buie has scored 20 or more points in seven of 11 conference games this season. The senior’s 18.8 points per game average in Big Ten-only contests ranks fourth in the league, trailing Zach Edey (Purdue, 21.8), Kris Murray (Iowa, 21.5) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana, 21.1). Buie (4.5 apg) and Jackson-Davis are the only two Big Ten players averaging 18.5+ points and 4.5+ assists per game during conference games. His free throw percentage of 90.2% (74-of-82) leads the Big Ten and ranks 15th nationally. If the season ended today, his mark would be the highest in a single-season in program history.

 

Audige increased his season steal total to 58 and leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth nationally averaging 2.6 thefts per game. He ranks tied for sixth with Jeremy Nash (2009-10) for most steals in a single season in program history. Patrick Baldwin (1990-91) holds the school record at 90. Audige’s 137 career steals in a Northwestern jersey rank eighth in program history. Nationally he is one of three players averaging 15+ points and 2.5+ steals per game.

 

During conference-only games the backcourt duo of Audige…