The Big Ten Tournament tipped off with first-round action on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with Northwestern and Penn State posting victories to advance to the second round.
Indianapolis, Ind. - Nebraska came roaring into the Big Ten tournament with three head-spinning victories, so it was no surprise that Fred Hoiberg's Cornhuskers beat Northwestern by 14 points in a first-round game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night Extended.
But even down 15 points with 15 minutes to go, the Wildcats simply weren't ready to go home. Led by Bu Bui's 14 second-half points, Northwestern came back to win 71–69 to advance to the second round and secure their first conference tournament victory in five years.
"It was a tale of two halves," Northwestern coach Chris Collins said. “We are not a high turnover team, and we had 10 in the first half and no one was more confident coming into this tournament than Nebraska. They played with a lot of energy and really got us on our heels.
"But we showed some resolve and we stayed together. We hit a few shots, but more importantly, we made some stops. They were really in sync, and our field got them out of things. These guys They deserve it. They come every day, win or lose, and they are a resilient group of people who really want to win. They worked hard in the second half and made a lot of big plays."
Bui had a quiet first half and admitted he lost control in the locker room. But his teammates and coaches calmed him down and reminded him how much he needed him.
And it showed.
"In the locker room, I was frustrated with myself and venting my emotions because I didn't do anything in the first half," Bui said. "My teammates kept me positive, and I was able to come out and play a lot better. It's early March, and people are trying to continue their season. Neither of us are ready to go home Is."
Nebraska led 50–35 with 15:28 before the Wildcats scored 14–0 in just three minutes, with a Buoy three-pointer taking a lead.
Northwestern eventually advanced on the 6:24 mark, taking a 63-62 lead on another buoy three. He hit another three with 1:42 to put Northwestern ahead of four. Nebraska tied the game 69-69 on two Alonzo Verge junior free throws, but did not score again. Verge and Bryce McGowens both missed driving layups in the last minute, and free throws by Chase Audige and Buie were enough for the win.
Bryce McGowens, who missed the season finale with a wrist injury, struggled with his shot. He was just 2-for-10 off the field and scored only six points.
Northwestern meets Iowa in the second game of the day on Thursday afternoon. They will play 25 minutes after Indiana and Michigan at around 2 p.m. at
"It really means a lot (to win the tournament)," said Northwestern forward Pete Nance. "You want to turn things around, and it proves that we are not the same team as we were in the last few years. We came together and won, which really means a lot to our team and our schedule. It all comes down to trusting your mates. That's what we all have in each other.
Penn State, Minnesota
Jalen Pickett scored 22 points as Penn State beat Minnesota 60-51 in the first round of the Big Ten Conference tournament on Wednesday night.
14th-seeded Minnesota took a 28-24 lead before the Nittany Lions warmed up. Sam Sesams finished with 14 points for Penn State, while Seth Lundy scored 11. John Harrar had 12 rebounds to go with six points.
Penn State led the Big Ten in defense scoring, scoring 66.2 points per game, and placing the Gophers 16 points below their average. It was the first time Minnesota had lost to Penn State in five tries in a conference tournament.
The Nittany Lions will take on No. 6 seeded Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Thursday.