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Nick Martinelli talks his Northwestern career and the Big Ten Tournament
Nick Martinelli will end his storied Northwestern career soon, but he wants to play as long as he can. Martinelli talks about his NU career with Cassie Carlson.
Make it seven in a row for Northwestern basketball over Indiana.
The Wildcats took a haymaker from the Hoosiers. But when NU hit back, Indiana didn't have an answer.
For the first time since 2017, Northwestern has won two Big Ten Tournament games.
Northwestern beat a lifeless Indiana team 74-61 to advance in the Big Ten Tourney. Here's how it all happened.
How it happened
Indiana swung first. The Hoosiers led 25-15 at one point in the first half. Northwestern didn't wince.
The 'Cats swung back and took firm control in the second half. NU led 64-49 at the under-eight timeout using great defense and an efficient offense. Northwestern kept drawing fouls and hitting free throws.
A 3-pointer by Jordan Clayton put the 'Cats up 18. From there, Northwestern could close out the Hoosiers with some stops and free throws.
After that, Indiana was lifeless. The Hoosiers tried to find a way to inch back in, but the Wildcats didn't budge. For a team that was playing on the bubble, the amount of missed shots was stunning.
For Northwestern, it was a moment where it could prove its mettle. There were plenty of games where the 'Cats struggled to hit shots and close out opponents in the second half. This was a culmination of those lessons.
Northwestern beat a team that was playing for its postseason livelihood. The Hoosiers didn't play like that by any means.
It was over when…
Lamar Wilkerson missed a jumper with 1:10 left in the game. However, that would have cut Northwestern's lead to 11. There was too much ground to make up.
Nick Martinelli's two free throws put the Wildcats back up 13 with 52 seconds left, sealing the win.
Key Player
Nick Martinelli didn't want to stop playing college basketball. He had a crisp 20-point game heading into the final 10 minutes of the game.
But Jake West was the key name on Wednesday.
When Northwestern went down, West kept the ‘Cats in the game. He drove to the basket with a physical nature that matched the Hoosiers’ physical play. West played with a big chip on his shoulder. His 18 points were key when Tre Singleton and Jayden Reid were having issues getting their offensive play going.
What It Means
Northwestern moves on to Thursday.
Next up is Purdue, a team the Wildcats nearly upset last week. With a two-game winning streak in the Big Ten Tournament and the confidence that comes with that, Northwestern might have a chance to stun the Boilermakers in Chicago.
For Indiana, this might be it.
The Hoosiers were on the bubble. They needed a tournament run to prove they should be in the field of 68. With this loss, they might be done for the year.