Buie scores 29 as Northwestern beats No. 10 Illinois 96-91 in overtime

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Boo Buie #0 of the Northwestern Wildcats celebrates a three pointer against the Illinois Fighting Illini during overtime at Welsh-Ryan Arena on January 24, 2024 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern and Illinois kept trading baskets, refusing to let the other go on any real run. The Wildcats made a push in overtime, and that was enough to lift them to another win over a top-10 team.

Boo Buie scored 29 points, Brooks Barnhizer added 23 and Northwestern beat No. 10 Illinois 96-91 on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (14-5, 5-3 Big Ten) scored the first nine points in overtime after Illinois’ Marcus Domask missed a jumper at the end of regulation. They got some payback, too, after the Fighting Illini (14-5, 5-3) beat them by 30 on Jan. 2 without star guard Terrance Shannon Jr.

"It’s super hard to win in this league in general, but especially on the road," Buie said. "I think it just contributes to showing our toughness and our togetherness and how connected we are, to be able to go out there and come away with victories against top teams in the country."

In a game that featured 18 lead changes and 15 ties, Northwestern finally took control in OT.

Buie put the Wildcats on top with a 3-pointer. Barnhizer hit one from the corner, got fouled by Quincy Guerrier and made the free throw to complete the four-point play.

Matthew Nicholson put back a missed layup by Buie following a steal, making it 85-76 with 2:35 left, and the Wildcats remained in control the rest of the way.

Northwestern knocked off a top-10 team for the second time this season to go with an overtime stunner against then-No. 1 Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 1. This one came on the heels of a loss at Nebraska on Saturday.

Coleman Hawkins had 22 points and 13 rebounds for Illinois. Domask scored 22. Guerrier added 15 points and 11 rebounds, but Shannon had a rough time in his second game since a federal judge ordered Illinois last week to lift the suspension it handed down in the wake of a rape charge in Kansas.

Shannon heard it from Northwestern fans, who chanted "No means no!" throughout the game. He finished with 12 points while shooting just 1 of 5 on 3-pointers.

Illinois coach Brad Underwood said Shannon simply needs time to find his rhythm after missing six games. As for the chants? Underwood brushed them aside as "life on the road."

"We’re playing basketball," he said. "We’ve been in a lot of environments in this league. I had chicken wings thrown at me last year at Maryland. That stuff’s insignificant to anything that would have anything to do with the outcome of a basketball game. We had a chance to win the basketball game today. Chants or no chants, we had a chance to win."

Buie finished two points shy of his season high and had seven assists.

Barnhizer, who scored a career-best 24 in the loss at Nebraska, made four 3-pointers.

Ty Berry scored 14 and hit three 3s, helping the Wildcats win for the third time in four games. Northwestern also improved to 10-1 at home.

BIG PICTURE

Illinois: Outrebounded the Wildcats 46-32 but had just 19 second-chance points to show for 21 offensive rebounds.

Northwestern: The Wildcats continue to give opponents fits on their home court. The fact that they had their touch from outside, making 11 of 18 3-pointers, certainly helped.