Cats end losing streak, beat Iowa in OT
By: Will Greer
With Northwestern up by three, needing just one stop to snap its 10-game losing streak, Iowa’s Jarrod Uthoff hit an off-balance three-pointer to send the game to overtime.
Faced with adversity again, Chris Collins told his team, “We are going to win.”
And the Cats did just that.
Bryant McIntosh scored 18 points, and Tre Demps added 16 points, including a couple of clutch 3-pointers, to propel Northwestern to its first Big Ten home win since January 21, 2014 against Purdue.
“I’m a believer in the basketball gods,” Collins said. “Today was a special win.”
Northwestern took a 27-24 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks to nine assists on 10 made field goals and 6-12 shooting from behind the arc.
But Iowa stormed back in the second half. Jarrod Uthoff had 18 of his game-high 25 points in the game’s final 25 minutes, including an off-balance heave with three seconds left that tied the game at 54.
Northwestern outplayed the Hawkeyes in overtime, led by center Alex Olah’s 3 points and 4 rebounds. Olah finished with his fifth double-double of the season and his second in Big Ten play, tallying 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Northwestern will look to build on its momentum Wednesday night, as the Cats head to Williams Arena to take on Minnesota.