TEMPE, Ariz. — Brooks Barnhizer showcased an impressive performance, contributing 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, as Northwestern triumphed over UNLV with a score of 66-61 during the Arizona Tip-Off event held on Friday night.

Northwestern concluded the tournament by securing third place in the Cactus Division.

After a tightly contested first half that ended with Northwestern holding a slender one-point lead, the Wildcats quickly gained momentum by successfully making five of their first seven attempts in the second half. This offensive surge allowed them to pull ahead with a score of 42-35 just under seven minutes into the period.

Despite being down, UNLV’s Jailen Bedford narrowed the gap with a three-pointer that brought the Rebels within one point with 12 and a half minutes left on the clock. Soon after, Julian Rishwain’s three-pointer tightened the score even further, placing UNLV only two points away with seven minutes left. Northwestern responded with Jalen Leach sinking a three-pointer, followed by Barnhizer’s jumper, extending their lead to 56-49 with just over three minutes remaining.

In a desperate attempt to close the gap, Bedford hit another three-pointer for the Rebels. However, Barnhizer swiftly countered with a three-point play that solidified Northwestern’s commanding 61-54 lead as they approached the final minute of play. Despite a couple of tip-in baskets from Jacob Bannarbie, UNLV couldn’t narrow the score, finishing with a five-point deficit.

Alongside Barnhizer, Leach contributed 15 points, while Nick Martinelli added 12 points for Northwestern, which improved its record to 6-2. On the opposite side, Dedan Thomas Jr. led UNLV with 17 points, with Bedford finishing with 15 points and Jeremiah Cherry grabbing 10 rebounds as the Rebels fell to 4-3.

In the first half, Barnhizer made a significant impact by hitting three three-pointers and tallying 13 points. Though Northwestern struggled with their shooting, finishing the half with only a 29% field goal rate, they managed to lead 26-25 at the break thanks to eight successful free throws and four three-point shots, while only hitting three two-point attempts.