Langborg lights it up in OT for Wildcats
NEW YORK — Ryan Langborg scored 12 of his career-high 27 points in overtime, and ninth-seeded Northwestern finally put away No. 8 seed Florida Atlantic 77-65 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The injury-depleted Wildcats recovered after squandering a nine-point lead late in the second half. Brooks Barnhizer’s driving layup tied it with nine seconds left.
Next up for Northwestern (22-11) is No. 1 overall seed Uconn in the second round of the East Region on Sunday in Brooklyn. The Big Ten program has won a game in each of its three trips to the NCAA Tournament, but it has never reached the Sweet 16.
“This team has so much heart,” coach Chris Collins said. “We’ve been thrown so many curveballs with injuries, disruptions, and they just refuse to let that be the narrative.”
Boo Buie, the leading scorer in school history, had 19 of his 22 points after a quiet first half. Barnhizer added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Northwestern, which advanced in the NCAAS for the second consecutive year despite playing without injured starters Ty Berry (knee) and 7-footer Matthew Nicholson (leg), who are both finished for the season.
“They played really well in overtime,” FAU coach Dusty May said. “We just looked like we were a little bit out of gas, I guess.”
Vlad Goldin had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Owls (25-9), who returned nearly their entire team from a surprising Final Four run last year but were unable to muster that same March magic this time.
They certainly tried, though.
Down by nine with 6 ½ minutes left, Florida Atlantic scored eight straight points to grab a 58-56 lead on Johnell Davis’ driving basket with 1:04 remaining — his first points of the second half.