After a 10-3 begin, Northwestern has opened the brand new calendar 12 months with three consecutive losses and its greatest participant, Brooks Barnhizer, in a droop.
When Northwestern (10-6, 1-4 Large Ten) faces Maryland (13-4, 3-3), Thursday in Evanston, Sick., the Wildcats will look to interrupt out of their slide and keep away from their first four-game skid for the reason that 2021-22 season.
To achieve success, Northwestern will want Barnhizer to return to kind. Prior to now two video games, losses per week aside to ranked groups Michigan State and Purdue, Barnhizer dedicated 10 turnovers and was a mixed 6-of-28 from the ground and 1-of-10 from 3-point vary.
“If you’re No. 1 on that scouting report, you are gonna get a number of consideration,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins mentioned of Barnhizer, who averages 18.0 factors per recreation and leads the Wildcats in rebounds (9.3), assists (4.3), steals (2.4) and blocks (1.3).
After Northwestern’s 78-68 loss Sunday at dwelling to then-No. 16 Michigan State, Collins identified that Barnhizer has shot solely 5 free throws through the shedding streak.
“We gotta discover a solution to get Brooks to the free-throw line,” Collins mentioned. “That man’s probably the most highly effective driver in our convention.”
Northwestern’s versatile frontcourt star Nick Martinelli, who ranks second within the Large Ten in scoring at 19.9 factors per recreation, tallied 27 factors towards the Spartans.
In the meantime, the Terrapins even have a rating to settle. They’ve misplaced all three of their Large Ten highway video games this season and 7 of eight courting to final season.
Maryland has received a pair of video games at dwelling, toppling then-No. 22 UCLA, 79-61, on Friday. An uninspired efficiency towards the Large Ten’s last-place crew Minnesota, adopted on Monday.
Within the 77-71 victory, the Terrapins have been sparked by a season-high efficiency from freshman Derik Queen, who scored 27 factors on 10-of-15 taking pictures.
The Golden Gophers led by seven factors three minutes into the second half however Queen tallied 18 factors the remainder of the best way. Rodney Rice added 21 factors for the Terrapins.
Maryland has been fueled by a protection that compelled 21 turnovers towards UCLA and 16 versus Minnesota.
“We did a significantly better job within the second half of simply disrupting their offense,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard mentioned after the Minnesota win.
Whereas Maryland leads the collection 12-6, Northwestern has received 4 of the previous six conferences.
– Subject Stage Media