Northwestern's defense aims to slow Columbia's hot offense

The clearest mismatch here is stylistic. Columbia brings the No. 175 scoring offense in the country into a date with Northwestern's No. 72 scoring defense, and Versus projects that gap to decide things, with Northwestern favored 78-67 in a non-conference game.

Columbia arrives at 3-1 and has won three straight, including a 77-59 win at Bucknell on Friday that snapped a losing streak against that opponent dating back to December 2015. Even so, Versus has Columbia 23 places lower than its preseason rank of 226, now sitting at No. 249 overall with a C- grade and a offense that grades out as its lone bright spot at B-.

Northwestern, also 3-1, carries a B+ overall grade built on an A- defense ranked No. 72, though its own offense checks in at only No. 181. That three-game winning streak ended Friday in a 67-47 loss to DePaul. Northwestern has slipped 12 spots from its preseason ranking of 80 to No. 92, still 157 spots ahead of Columbia in the overall rankings.

The two have not met since December 2018, when Northwestern won 75-54. Versus sees a similar outcome this time, projecting an 11-point Northwestern win behind the defensive edge.