Northwestern has had problems in the second half of games recently.

In three of their last four games, the Wildcats have been outscored by double digits in the second half, leading to consecutive losses to Illinois and Maryland, and a way-closer-than-it-should-have-been win over Indiana.

Head coach Chris Collins is well aware of it. He said that he and his staff are analyzing the Wildcats' performances and trying to figure out the root cause. Northwestern hosts Penn State on Wednesday night (8 p.m., BTN)

"We're looking at how we can be better in the second half," said Collins.

Northwestern held a commanding 39-20 halftime lead over Indiana on Feb. 15, only to give it all away before Boo Buie hit a game-winning floater with two seconds left to claim a 64-62 win. The Hoosiers outscored Northwestern 42-25 in the second half.

After a blowout 80-60 win over Iowa four days later that saw the Wildcats lead wire-to-wire, the second-half bug bit them again last Thursday against Illinois. Northwestern built a dominant 37-19 lead at the break, but the Illini turned the tables and won the second half, 47-25, and the game, 66-62.

Last time out against Maryland, Northwestern was within two of the hot-shooting Terrapins at the break, only to get buried under an avalanche of threes, 34-20, in the second half of a 75-59 loss.

While the Wildcats' shooting fell off considerably in each game -- they shot less than 35% in all three second halves -- Collins didn't like what he saw out of the defense that has carried the team all season.

"We're not only struggling to score, but also our defense has slipped in the second half of a couple of those games," he said.

Collins noted that both Indiana and Illinois put up more than 40 points in a half against Northwestern. Those are big numbers against a defense that's ranked 20th in the nation and gives up an average of just 62.4 points per contest this season.

"We're not playing with same energy, even in some of our wins," said guard Chase Audige.

Collins thinks that fatigue could be playing a factor in the Wildcats’ tendency to fade late in games.

In order to make up games after a COVID pause, Northwestern had to play a stretch of six games in 13 days. The Wildcats played 12 league games in the month of February, a workload that can take a toll on legs, even if they won eight of them.

“That can catch up to you over time,” he said.

How does it get fixed? Collins and Audige didn't disclose any specifics, but you can be sure that the Wildcats are focusing on it moving forward.

"We're addressing it now with different techniques and styles to keep up the intensity in the second half that we had in the first half," said Audige.

Big honor for Audige: On Tuesday, Audige was named one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. The senior guard called it an “amazing honor” but said that it all starts with the team defense Northwestern plays.

”I know I’m on that list, but you can put multiple [teammates] on that list,” he said.

As much as he tries to divert attention from himself, Audige has put together an impressive resume as one of the best defensive players in the nation. He has 69 total steals, best in the Big Ten and seventh nationally. His average of 2.41 thefts per game is tied for No. 1 in the conference and No. 11 in the country.

And he does it all while scoring 14.6 points per game, the second-most on NU's team, behind Boo Buie.

Collins says that the discipline Audige added to his game this season is responsible for turning him from a very good to an elite defender.

"This year he's really embraced our principles...," he said. "He’s a menace on the defensive end of the floor."

Audige agrees, saying that he's taking fewer risks this season, while still maintaining the level of aggressiveness necessary to snag so many steals.

"At the beginning of my career, I was a very aggressive, fouling, gambling type of defender," he said. "I think throughout the years I tried to tone that in, and tried to be aggressive but in a way where I’m not hurting my team with my fouls and I’m not putting people at a disadvantage with my gambling.

"I think I’m doing a much better job now but I’m still getting working at it."

Cats staying in the moment: It has already been a historic season for the Wildcats. A second NCAA Tournament invitation is all but guaranteed. Another Big Ten win will set a school record for conference wins in a season. The team has already set records by beating the No. 1 team in the nation and beating four ranked teams in a season for the first time in history.

But Collins said that his team is keeping its eyes ahead and won't look back at what they've accomplished until the end of the season.

"We all made a pact with each other to live in the moment this season...," said Collins. "We'll look back at the end of the year.

Audige, though, took a moment to reflect on his career at Northwestern, which began when he transferred to Evanston in 2019 after one season at William & Mary. He said that the struggles he and his teammates endured in previous seasons -- the Cats went 32-54 (.372) over the last three years -- makes this year that much more special.

"It’s definitely been a journey," said Audige. "Lots of ups and downs. More downs that ups in the past years. It's all prepared us for what we’re going through now."