Scottie Lindsey, like he so often does, lined up and buried a pull-up three from the right wing with 3:14 remaining to put Northwestern up 71-68. Order had been restored.
The senior paced the Wildcats with a game-high 26 points and also added a team-high nine rebounds.
The No. 19 team in the nation looked the part in the first half on Friday night, but struggled throughout the second half, making the game a lot closer than many expected.
Northwestern used a 16-0 run in the first half and Lindsey’s timely shooting in the second to escape its season opener with a 79-75 over Loyola (Md.