SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Composure is a necessary quality to escape March with a win in college basketball.

That’s why with eight minutes left and a five-point lead, Northwestern coach Chris Collins signaled to his team from the sideline to calm down. It had just fumbled another scoring opportunity in transition, and the image of the team throwing away a lead it had maintained all game was beginning to come into focus.

That is until the players regained theirs.

With a strong finish, the Cats secured a 75-67 win and a trip to the second round for the second time in program history after its first in 2017.

Defense was expected to define No. 7 Northwestern’s matchup against No. 10 Boise State. The Wildcats brought their best, coming up with seven steals and scoring 10 points off of nine Boise State turnovers.

NU coach Chris Collins talked Wednesday about needing big performances from his two leading scorers, Boo Buie and Chase Audige. After Audige was held to six points in the Wildcats’ Big Ten tournament loss to Penn State, Collins had no concerns about how he would show up against Boise State.

He finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Buie was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.

“We’re not done yet,” NU athletic director Derrick Gragg said to a crowd of about 1,000 Wildcats fans that packed a local bar next to Golden 1 Center. 

Gragg’s prediction was right.

NU will play the winner of No. 2 UCLA-No. 15 UNC-Asheville game Saturday.