Northwestern
11-7,2-5Big Ten
#20 Michigan
14-4,6-1Big Ten
Northwestern Falls in Overtime at No. 20 Michigan, 80-76
1/19/2025 7:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Wolverines (14-4, 6-1 Big Ten) were limited to a season-low 36.1% (22-of-61) mark from the field, but the Wildcats (11-7, 2-5 Big Ten) lost their first overtime game of the season after starting the campaign 3-0 in extra time. Northwestern forced Michigan to shoot 7-of-27 from beyond the arc, snapping the Wolverines' streak of six consecutive games with 10+ threes.
Barnhizer posted 21 points and eight rebounds while knocking down 10-of-13 free throw attempts. He became the second Wildcat this season to convert 10+ free throws in a game, joining Jalen Leach, who had 15 against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 15, 2024. It was Barnhizer's 10th 20-point game of the season.
Martinelli also recorded his third consecutive and 10th 20+ point game of the season. He logged 20 points and six rebounds, converting 9-of-12 free throws, while playing all 45 minutes. Martinelli has scored 20+ points in three of Northwestern's four games against ranked opponents this season. Martinelli's streak of three straight 20+ point games is tied for the longest in his career. The Glenview, Ill. native, scored a game-high 14 first-half points.
Leach had 19 points and five assists on 8-of-12 shooting in his 27 minutes of action. He was ejected on a flagrant two foul call with a shade under nine and a half minutes remaining. Leach's 19 points are his most in a Big Ten game this season and his most in a conference game since posting 29 points for Fairfield last year on March 9, 2024, against Mount St. Mary's. He became the first Wildcat to have 15+ points and 5+ assists while shooting at least a 65% from the field in a game since Boo Buie against Iowa on March 2, 2024. He tallied five of Northwestern's seven assists.
Graduate student Ty Berry notched 12 points, seven rebounds, and three steals in his second game off the bench this season. With two made threes in the first half, he moved into sixth place on Northwestern's all-time 3-point field goal leaderboard with 213, passing Vedran Vukusic (2001-06).
Graduate student Matthew Nicholson tied his career-high of 16 rebounds in the contest. Nicholson became the fifth Wildcat to post a 16+ rebound over the past two decades. He was also the most recent player to do so on Feb. 18, 2024, when he pulled down 16 rebounds at Indiana.
Northwestern got out to a blazing start against Michigan with a 7-0 run to start the game in the opening three minutes.
Northwestern's suffocating defense was apparent early on, forcing the Wolverines to make just one of their first 13 field goal attempts. Eight minutes into the contest, Michigan had scored just five points.
As the half continued, the Wolverines fought back to make it a close contest, but the 'Cats made five of their last six field goals in the half to take a 35-30 lead into halftime. It was the first time Michigan trailed at halftime at home all season. The Wolverines' 30 first-half points were their fewest since they scored 26 in the first half on Dec. 3, 2024, at No.11 Wisconsin. Northwestern forced Michigan to shoot 9-of-31 (29.0%) from the field in the first half.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the second half, as the Wildcats' largest lead of the half was five, while Michigan's was just two. The Wolverines held a two-point lead with 14 seconds left as Nicholson stepped to the free throw line. Converting both, the game entered overtime at 65-65.
All 11 of Northwestern's points in overtime came from the free throw line.
The Wildcats return to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 22 to face Indiana at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
