EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern coach Chris Collins wants his team to take a step forward this year after fighting last season.
It’s still early, but the wild cats made a whole statement Sunday night.
Boo Buie hit a 30-point high in the race and Northwestern beat Michigan State for the first time in nearly a decade, keeping the Spartans No. 4 on a 79-65 victory.
Pete Nance added 15 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists in Northwestern’s biggest win since his first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2017. First year Ty Berry had 12 points in the Big Ten opening for each school, including three of the Wildcats ’10 triples.
“One of the most inept performances of my 26 years,” Michigan state coach Tom Izzo said. “It’s kind of a tough statement. I blame myself. I’m what my team needs to have ready.”
Northwestern (4-1) stopped a 12-game slide of the series with its first win over Michigan State since Jan. 14, 2012. It was also the Wildcats’ first win over one of the top five teams in the poll. AP from 83 -65 victory over Magic Johnson and then -No. 4 Michigan State on January 27, 1979.
Coming out of a frustrating 8-23 campaign that included just three wins in the Big Ten, it was a night to savor for Buie, Nance and the rest of the wild cats who learned some difficult lessons last season.
“We’re trying to change the narrative about what everyone thinks about us, that we can’t finish, all of that,” Nance said. “We’re just a very close-knit group and we love to play together and be out there with each other.”
The Spartans looked rusty in their first game in a week and only the second overall since Dec. 6. They were supposed to play in Virginia on December 9, but this game was postponed due to COVID-19’s problems with the Cavaliers.
Aaron Henry scored 11 points for Michigan State (6-1), and Malik Hall finished with 10 points and nine boards. The Spartans fired only 39% (26 vs. 67) of the field.
Michigan State also had a fright when starting striker Joey Hauser left at the end of the first half with a left knee injury. But he came back early in the second half and finished with five points on the 2-on-7 throw. Northwest headed for up to 21 in 61-40 with 11:57.
Michigan State responded with a 9-0 run, including a three-point play from Henry, but Berry stabilized the Wildcats with a 3 at 8:47. Buie hit four free throws and a 3 in the final two minutes to help close it. The sophomore guard came off the field 9 for 15, including a 5 for 6 performance from beyond the arc.
“Every time I step on the track, I just try to grab what the game gives me, whether it can be scoring, like finding my teammates, as a leader or all of the above,” Buie said.
Michigan State looked rusty at first and a fired Northwest team took advantage.
Buie, who scored 26 points in his career in Northwestern’s 77-72 loss to Michigan State last December, scored consecutive triples to give the Wildcats a 34-23 lead with 3:34 to go. the first half. Nance made another 3 with 51 seconds left, helping Northwestern get a 43-30 lead at the break.
Spartans shot 35% (12 by 34) in the first half, compared to 52% (14 by 27) of feral cats.
“We just didn’t come to play,” Michigan State Guard Joshua Langford said. “We have messed up a lot of defensive coverage. We just [weren’t] there as a global unit “.