EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern welcomes in-state opponent Eastern Illinois to Welsh-Ryan Arena at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 15, for the second game of a season-long four-game homestand. The game will air on Peacock with Kevin Lee (play-by-play) and Tre Demps (analyst) on the call, and WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Radio Channel 392 with the Voice of the 'Cats, Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
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In their last game on Tuesday evening (Nov. 12), the Wildcats (2-1) defeated UIC 83-74, fueled by junior Nick Martinelli's 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Graduate student Jalen Leach posted 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, his highest scoring output as a Wildcat, with three assists. Fellow graduate student Ty Berry also reached double-figures with 13 points, while nailing 3-of-5 3-point attempts. He also notched his 14th career game with three or more steals. Junior Justin Mullins led the team with seven rebounds, and graduate student Matthew Nicholson posted a season-high three blocks.
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Martinelli became the first Northwestern player to score 25+ points in three consecutive games since John Shurna did so from Dec. 16, 2010 to Dec. 21, 2010. He also became the first Wildcat since at least 2004-05 to score 25+ points in each of the season's first three games. Through the young campaign, he leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally averaging 28.3 points per game, shooting 73.8% from the field, and is pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game (fifth in Big Ten. He has converted all seven of his three-point attempts this season.
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Sullivan-Ubben Head Coach Chris Collins is in his 12th season at the helm for Northwestern, and his 179 wins rank third-most by a head coach in program history. The unanimous 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Collins has guided the team to back-to-back 20+ win campaigns. Of the six 20 or more win seasons in school history, Collins has recorded four of them (2015-16, 2016-17, 2022-23, 2023-24). Over the last two seasons, the Wildcats have won 24 Big Ten Conference games, their most ever in back-to-back seasons in school history, surpassing 20 wins encompassing the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons.
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Northwestern is 3-0 all-time against the Panthers (1-2), with all three prior meetings occurring in the last 12 seasons inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Collins' first game as Northwestern's head coach was against the Panthers, a 72-55 triumph on Nov. 9, 2013. The Wildcats won the last meeting to open the 2021-22 season on Nov. 9, 80-56. Boo Buie registered game-highs of 17 points and five steals and six assists. Ty Berry scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
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Eastern Illinois has faced two Big Ten Conference teams in their opening three games of the season, dropping both contests. In the season opener, they fell to Illinois 112-67, and on Nov. 10, they were ahead by one at halftime before succumbing to No. 16 Indiana, 90-55. Last season, the Panthers finished with a 14-18 (8-10 OVC) record. Nakyel Shelton leads the team averaging 15.7 points per game.
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The 'Cats have four days off before Montana State comes to Welsh-Ryan Arena for an 8 p.m. CT tip off on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The game will air on BTN and ESPN 1000 WMVP.
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In their last game on Tuesday evening (Nov. 12), the Wildcats (2-1) defeated UIC 83-74, fueled by junior Nick Martinelli's 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Graduate student Jalen Leach posted 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, his highest scoring output as a Wildcat, with three assists. Fellow graduate student Ty Berry also reached double-figures with 13 points, while nailing 3-of-5 3-point attempts. He also notched his 14th career game with three or more steals. Junior Justin Mullins led the team with seven rebounds, and graduate student Matthew Nicholson posted a season-high three blocks.
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Martinelli became the first Northwestern player to score 25+ points in three consecutive games since John Shurna did so from Dec. 16, 2010 to Dec. 21, 2010. He also became the first Wildcat since at least 2004-05 to score 25+ points in each of the season's first three games. Through the young campaign, he leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally averaging 28.3 points per game, shooting 73.8% from the field, and is pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game (fifth in Big Ten. He has converted all seven of his three-point attempts this season.
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Sullivan-Ubben Head Coach Chris Collins is in his 12th season at the helm for Northwestern, and his 179 wins rank third-most by a head coach in program history. The unanimous 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Collins has guided the team to back-to-back 20+ win campaigns. Of the six 20 or more win seasons in school history, Collins has recorded four of them (2015-16, 2016-17, 2022-23, 2023-24). Over the last two seasons, the Wildcats have won 24 Big Ten Conference games, their most ever in back-to-back seasons in school history, surpassing 20 wins encompassing the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons.
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Northwestern is 3-0 all-time against the Panthers (1-2), with all three prior meetings occurring in the last 12 seasons inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Collins' first game as Northwestern's head coach was against the Panthers, a 72-55 triumph on Nov. 9, 2013. The Wildcats won the last meeting to open the 2021-22 season on Nov. 9, 80-56. Boo Buie registered game-highs of 17 points and five steals and six assists. Ty Berry scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
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Eastern Illinois has faced two Big Ten Conference teams in their opening three games of the season, dropping both contests. In the season opener, they fell to Illinois 112-67, and on Nov. 10, they were ahead by one at halftime before succumbing to No. 16 Indiana, 90-55. Last season, the Panthers finished with a 14-18 (8-10 OVC) record. Nakyel Shelton leads the team averaging 15.7 points per game.
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The 'Cats have four days off before Montana State comes to Welsh-Ryan Arena for an 8 p.m. CT tip off on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The game will air on BTN and ESPN 1000 WMVP.