In Evanston, Illinois, a thrilling basketball clash took place as K.J. Windham led Northwestern to a compelling 68-57 victory over Iowa. This win helped Northwestern break free from a four-way tie for 13th position in the Big Ten Conference on Friday night. Coming into the match, Northwestern shared the 13th spot with Iowa, Minnesota, and USC. The Wildcats’ latest triumph elevates them to sole possession of 13th place with a 16-13 overall record and a 7-11 standing in conference play, while Minnesota and USC now share the 14th place. Iowa finds itself a game short of the Big Ten Conference tournament contention, holding a 15-14 overall and 6-12 in the conference.
At halftime, Northwestern maintained a narrow four-point lead. However, Iowa’s Drew Thelwell sparked some hope by hitting a three-pointer just over four minutes into the second half, narrowing the gap to 37-36. In response, Ty Berry and Windham each netted critical three-pointers. Despite Brock Harding’s attempt to keep Iowa in the game with a basket, Windham’s third consecutive three-pointer provided Northwestern a healthy 46-38 lead. Berry’s jumper, with 87 seconds remaining, stretched the margin to double digits at 64-53, while Justin Mullins sunk a free throw in the final moments, expanding the lead to 66-53.
Windham showcased impressive accuracy, hitting four out of seven three-point attempts, significantly contributing to the Wildcats’ 9-for-23 performance from beyond the arc. Complementing Windham’s efforts, Nick Martinelli scored 16 points and secured nine rebounds, while Mullins added 10 points.
Unfortunately for Iowa, the team struggled with their shooting, converting only 21 of 58 field-goal attempts for a 36.2% shooting percentage. Thelwell contributed 14 points for Iowa, and Josh Dix added another 10 points.
Northwestern’s head coach, Chris Collins, achieved a personal milestone with his 193rd win, moving ahead of Bill Carmody into second place on Northwestern’s all-time victories list. Dutch Lonborg, a Naismith Hall of Famer, remains at the top with 236 career wins from 1928 to 1950.
Looking ahead, Northwestern is set to host UCLA on Monday before concluding their regular season with a match against 16th-ranked Maryland on Saturday. Meanwhile, Iowa is slated to face No. 8 Michigan State at home this Thursday and will end their regular season on March 9 when they travel to Nebraska.
