Northwestern 51, Rutgers 47: Tre Demps scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the visiting Wildcats held off the Scarlet Knights to win their first Big Ten opener in nine years.

Bryant McIntosh added 17 points - including five clutch free throws down the stretch - for Northwestern (10-4, 1-0 Big Ten), which scored seven points in the final 29 seconds after being held to none in the previous 10-plus minutes. JerShon Cobb tallied seven rebounds to go along with six points after missing the previous five games due to injury for the Wildcats.

Myles Mack collected 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Rutgers (8-6, 0-1), which fell in its inaugural Big Ten conference game. Bishop Daniels poured in eight points while Junior Etou secured a game-high 10 rebounds for the Scarlet Knights, who couldn't survive 30.2 percent shooting from the field.

Following a jumper by McIntosh with 10:50 remaining, Rutgers held Northwestern scoreless to pull within 44-41 on Mack's driving layup until the freshman guard split a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game with 29 seconds left. Daniels' basket trimmed the deficit to 45-43 before McIntosh kept his nerve and drained four free throws in the final 21 seconds to preserve the win.

The Scarlet Knights led by as much as eight before Cobb scored five straight points as part of an 11-1 run to put the Wildcats on top 19-17 and Demps beat the halftime buzzer to give Northwestern a 27-22 lead at intermission. Scottie Lindsey came off the bench to nail a 3-pointer and Demps knocked down a jumper on the next possession to put the Wildcats in front 40-31.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Northwestern held Rutgers without a field goal for over six minutes in the first half and over 10 in the second stanza. … Seven of the Wildcats’ opponents have failed to reach 60 points. … The Scarlet Knights finished with more turnovers (10) than assists (nine).