For Northwestern and South Carolina, a step-up in competition at the Greenbrier Tip-Off was always going to be a challenge.
The Wildcats and Gamecocks each look to bounce back from suffering a first loss of the season when they meet Sunday in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Northwestern (4-1) won its first three games against non-power conference schools by an average margin of 31.3 points. Then, it outlasted against a pesky DePaul squad for an 81-79 victory. However, not even a 46.6% shooting effort could save the Wildcats from Friday’s 83-78 loss to Virginia in their Greenbrier opener.
In a game that featured 12 lead changes, Northwestern held Virginia to 37.5% shooting and 5 of 24 (20.8%) from 3-point range, but was outrebounded 49-25.
The Cavaliers also converted 30 of 36 from the free-throw, where they took 12 more attempts than the Wildcats.
“We’re not a moral victory program at this point,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins told the school’s official website.
“(We’re) here to win.”
The Wildcats’ Nick Martinelli entered the weekend averaging a team-leading 20.5 points, but was held to nine on 3-of-12 shooting. However, teammate Arrinten Page scored 20, and has totaled 42 points in the last two contests.
No Wildcats’ opponent has shot better than 42.4% on the young season, but South Carolina (4-1) is shooting 45.6%. However, the Gamecocks made a just 40.3% of their shots (25 of 62) during Friday’s 79-72 loss versus Butler to open their Greenbrier stay.
In addition, South Carolina was outrebounded 48-29 and allowed 23 second-chance points while facing its first true test of the campaign.
“I think (Butler) kicked our rear ends, physically,” Gamecocks coach Lamont Paris said. “Which, hopefully, will be good for us. Insight some changes in mindset. Insight some changes in what we’re doing physically.”
In his sixth college season, and amid his second stint at South Carolina, Meechie Johnson (16.4 ppg) had a game-high 24 points Friday after totaling 12 in the previous two contests. Johnson, who also played parts of three seasons at Ohio State, totaled 12 points in two previous games against Northwestern.
