Northwestern faced its biggest test of the season against Virginia in the Greenbrier Tip-off on Friday. The Wildcats fought hard through transitions and moments of brilliance, but collapsed on the glass and in foul trouble, suffering their first loss of the season 83-78 at Colonial Hall.

Northwestern (4-1) was dominated on the boards 49-25, including a staggering 21-6 disadvantage on offensive rebounds. The Cavaliers capitalised on second-chance opportunities, while the Wildcats struggled to establish any physical presence in the paint.

The UVA’s starting lineup featured a relatively taller frontcourt duo, 6-foot-9 Thijs De Ridder and 7-foot Johann Grunloh, who combined for 15 rebounds, eight of them were offensive boards. Both bigs repeatedly cracked down the paint for second-chance buckets that extended possessions and deflated Northwestern's defensive efforts. By contrast, Northwestern's frontcourt, Nick Martinelli and Arrinten Page, managed just nine rebounds combined, unable to match Virginia's physicality around the basket.

The rebounding disparity wasn't just about size; it exposed a lack of physicality and effort on the glass. De Ridder alone grabbed five offensive rebounds, consistently beating Northwestern defenders to loose balls and putback opportunities. When Virginia needed a bucket, the Cavaliers simply crashed down the restricted area while Northwestern struggled to box out and secure possessions.

This isn't the first time Northwestern has exposed its weakness on the boards. When the Wildcats survived DePaul's hard-fought battle last Friday, they also lost the rebounding battle 34-25 while being outrebounded 16-6 on the offensive end.

Following the rebounding woes was foul trouble. Northwestern picked up fouls early in both halves, sending Virginia to the free-throw line 36 times. Through them, UVA converted 30 shots (83%) compared to Northwestern's 17-of-24 (71%). The Wildcats committed their 10th team foul with over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, putting Virginia in the bonus and allowing the Cavaliers to attack the rim without fear. Later in the second half, Northwestern committed five consecutive fouls in nearly a minute, midway through the second half, again gifting Virginia easy points and momentum.

The foul trouble disrupted rotations and forced Page to the bench with three fouls at 14:29 in the second half, exactly when Northwestern needed his interior presence most. Even Tre Singleton was fouled out as the referee called his fifth when he battled for a second-chance board in the last minute.

Martinelli's struggles magnified Northwestern's offensive limitations. The senior forward, who scored double-digits in 30 consecutive games entering Friday, went cold with just nine points on 2-of-10 shooting. His misfire forced Northwestern to rely heavily on guards to generate impact against Virginia's size.

The bench also failed to deliver. Despite Chris Collins deploying a 10-man rotation given their depth, the Wildcats managed just 12 bench points compared to Virginia's 18, which consisted of four players with minutes on Friday. The depth advantage that helped Northwestern cruise through its first four opponents disappeared against a physical ACC opponent.

Despite the defeat, the chemistry between Jayden Reid and Arrinten Page provided sparks. Reid led Northwestern with 25 points and five assists, while Page powered the frontcourt with 20 points and six rebounds — his second consecutive 20-point performance. Their chemistry, particularly on alley-oop connections where Reid delivered perfectly-placed lobs to Page for thunderous finishes, became increasingly picturesque. Reid also found Page cutting through the lane multiple times through pick-and-rolls, rewarding his big man with dimes that formed threats up easily.

Page had asserted himself as a legitimate secondary scorer behind Martinelli, and he overwhelmed the latter on Friday with a more convincing output. Averaging 16.8 points through five games after managing just 3.5 at Cincinnati last season, Page’s ability to finish around the rim, step out for three-pointers and protect the rim gives Northwestern a versatile weapon.

Northwestern will look to rebound when it finishes the Greenbrier Tip-off against South Carolina on Sunday, Nov. 23.

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