We've got three legit centers (most of us know Final Four teams without any true centers) and we're still throwing up 26 lousy 3-balls. Amazing.
Open three pointers are efficient shots. If NU had made three of the 23 they missed - or 23 percent total, still a terrible percentage - this would've been an OT game. ("Ifs and buts" applies, of course.)
To your main point, there are 15 fouls, but still only 40 minutes. Great depth, or tyranny of choice?
(Aside: you named yourself after the dark-windowed dive, didn't you? Or was it not as dirty as I want to remember?)