NEW YORK (AP) — Ryan Langborg scored 12 of his profession-superior 27 details in overtime, and ninth-seeded Northwestern at last set away No. 8 seed Florida Atlantic 77-65 on Friday in the initial round of the NCAA Event.
The injury-depleted Wildcats recovered immediately after squandering a nine-level lead late in the second half. Brooks Barnhizer’s driving layup tied it with nine seconds remaining.
Up coming up for Northwestern (22-11) is No. 1 in general seed UConn or 16th-seeded Stetson in the next spherical of the East Location on Sunday in Brooklyn. The Huge 10 system has hardly ever reached the Sweet 16 in 3 journeys to the NCAA Match.
Boo Buie had 19 of his 22 details just after a silent initially fifty percent. Barnhizer additional 13 factors and 10 rebounds for Northwestern, which innovative in the NCAAs for the second consecutive period regardless of actively playing with no wounded starters Ty Berry (knee) and 7-footer Matthew Nicholson (leg), who are equally finished for the time.
Vlad Goldin had 19 factors and nine rebounds for the Owls (25-9), who returned almost their complete staff from a surprising Remaining Four operate final year but have been unable to muster that exact same March magic this time.
They undoubtedly attempted, however.
Down by nine with 6 1/2 minutes left, Florida Atlantic scored 8 straight points to seize a 58-56 direct on Johnell Davis’ driving basket with 1:04 remaining — his 1st points of the next 50 percent.
Barnhizer tied it at the other close, and Davis skipped a extended, contested 3-pointer just before the buzzer.
Langborg, a graduate guard from San Diego, arrived out firing in OT with two jumpers and a 3 to rating Northwestern’s to start with 7 factors of the more period of time. Buie sank a circus shot and Langborg drained one more 3 to give the Wildcats a 70-59 edge with 1:38 remaining.
Northwestern made all five photographs from the subject in OT and 7 of eight absolutely free throws.
Davis completed with 18 factors on 6-for-16 taking pictures.
Florida Atlantic fought back again late with the assistance of a flagrant foul at the 3:21 mark of the 2nd 50 % billed to Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli — following a replay assessment — for accidentally elbowing Goldin in the course of a scramble around the basket.
Goldin designed each free throws, then two more, to tie it at 56-all with 2:44 left.
Soon after the two teams had been off target in a messy to start with 50 percent, Buie buried a 3-pointer suitable out of the split and additional a prolonged one particular from the wing as Northwestern used a 7- run to develop a 35-27 lead early in the second 50 %. Langborg gave the Wildcats a 54-45 edge on a jumper with 6:43 remaining, but FAU wasn’t completed.
Each groups ended up producing their 3rd NCAA Event appearance. FAU made a surprising run to the Closing 4 very last time as a No. 9 seed, also coming out of the East Area in New York Town (profitable Sweet 16 and Elite Eight online games at Madison Sq. Back garden), before losing to San Diego State on Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beater in the national semifinals at Houston.
Soon after relocating from Convention United states to the American Athletic Meeting, the Owls introduced again 14 of 15 gamers underneath coach Dusty Might and were a person of only 5 Division I plans that didn’t have a solitary player enter the transfer portal. They opened the time rated No. 10 in the AP Leading 25 and conquer then-No. 4 Arizona in double overtime in December, but were being coming off a tricky-to-demonstrate 74-73 reduction to 11th-seeded Temple in the AAC semifinals.
Presented not only an at-huge berth anyway but a No. 8 seed, the Owls obtained a different possibility to include to the insanity of March.
Northwestern, which conquer Boise State in very last year’s NCAA Tournament before shedding to 2nd-seeded UCLA in the second spherical, matched a program history with 21 typical-year wins this yr but experienced lost 3 of 4 coming into this 1.
The initially 50 percent was not very, with the teams combining for 3-of-21 shooting from 3-position vary even although Northwestern entered ranked fifth in the nation at 39.4% from extended length and FAU was averaging 82.5 points for each activity, 16th in the place.
It wasn’t for deficiency of hustle, even though, as Barnhizer went traveling in excess of the press table in pursuit of a unfastened ball together the sideline.
Northwestern went 5 1/2 minutes devoid of scoring and a layup at the buzzer by Davis, the co-AAC player of the year, gave Florida Atlantic a 20-19 edge irrespective of 12 turnovers. Davis experienced 11 details at the break, a single of only 3 Owls to score in the initial 50 percent. FAU shot 33% from the area to 21% for Northwestern.
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