Wildcats run past Eagles 82-64 in Big 10/ACC Challenge

BOSTON (AP) — Miller Kopp and Boo Buie each scored 20 points, and Northwestern beat Boston College 82-64 in a Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup Tuesday night.

Ryan Young added 12 points and Pete Nance had a pair of 3-pointers during a key 16-0 first half run for the Wildcats (4-3). Nance finished with eight points.

The Wildcats’ run over a 5:36 stretch turned a one-point deficit into a 35-20 edge. Nance had a pair of 3s in the run and Kopp added a trey in his five points.

During the spree, the Wildcats switched to zone and didn’t come out of it from midway in the first half until after the midpoint of the second.

Northwestern led 37-27 at halftime and pushed its lead to 60-42 on Buie’s fastbreak layup with 11:13 left.

After a timeout by BC, A.J. Turner nailed two free throws, giving the Wildcats their first 20-point lead of the night.

The Eagles didn’t get their deficit below double digits the rest of the way.

Jairus Hamilton led BC (4-5) with 12 points, Derryck Thornton had 11 and Jay Heath 10. The Eagles lost their fourth straight game.

BIG PICTURE

Northwestern: The Wildcats have the least experienced team in the conference. When BC was making a slight run, they showed patience and mostly relied on the playmaking of Turner and freshman guard Buie.

Boston College: The Eagles couldn’t get out of the offensive funk that plagued them the previous two games in double-digit losses against Saint Louis and Richmond.

BLOOPER MOMENT

Northwestern guard Pat Spencer had a steal and breakaway dunk, but the 6-foot-3 grad transfer, who was a standout four-year lacrosse player at Loyola, fell on his backside after the slam.

FAMILIAR PLACE

Wildcats senior forward Turner played his first two years of collegiate ball at BC before transferring to Northwestern in the summer of 2017.

UP NEXT

Northwestern: Hosts Purdue in its Big Ten opener on Sunday afternoon.

Boston College: At Notre Dame in ACC play Saturday afternoon.

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