Cam Spencer hit six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, both career highs, and Rutgers blew a late 10-point lead before closing the game with a 7-0 run to beat Northwestern 65-62 on Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
A 3-pointer by Spencer gave Rutgers the lead with 14 seconds to go, and the Scarlet Knights (12-5, 3-2 Big Ten) rebounded from a 78-65 loss Sunday at Iowa that snapped a five-game winning streak. That run included a 65-64 upset of then-No. 1 Purdue — in which Spencer also hit the go-ahead 3.
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Paul Mulcahy had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Scarlet Knights, Aundre Hyatt scored 10 points and Clifford Omoruyi added four points and 11 rebounds.
Rutgers led by 10 with 8:12 remaining, and Mulcahy hit a 3-pointer to give the Scarlet Knights a 52-43 lead with 6:53 to play.
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Chase Audige scored seven points in a 10-0 spurt by Northwestern (12-4, 3-2) that started a 20-5 run. The Wildcats took a four-point lead when Julian Roper II hit a 3-pointer with 1:14 to play.
Mulcahy answered with two free throws, Audige missed a jumper on the other end and Spencer hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 63-62 with 14 seconds left.
After a Wildcats turnover, Spencer was fouled and made both one-and-one free throws to cap the scoring with 5 seconds remaining. Audige missed a potential tying 3 at the buzzer.
Boo Buie had 13 points and seven assists and Ty Berry also scored 13 for Northwestern. Audige added 12 points, three blocks and two steals.
Northwestern had won seven of its last eight games, including a road victory at No. 15 Indiana its last time out, but couldn’t overcome a swarming Scarlet Knights defense that entered No. 6 nationally in opponents field-goal percentage (37.1%).
Northwestern shot 41% (21 of 41) from the field and 37% (10 of 27) from 3-point range but made just 10 of 18 (56%) from the free-throw line.
Rutgers returns home to take on Ohio State on Friday.
Northwestern plays Michigan on Sunday in the first of back-to-back road games.
