Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, November 27
Chicago, Ill.
9:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Oklahoma State
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
United Center to Host Wildcats and Cowboys on Thanksgiving Night
11/26/2025 2:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHICAGO — Northwestern men's basketball ventures downtown to face Oklahoma State inside the United Center on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, Nov. 27, at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington (play-by-play) and Joey Lane (analyst) on the call, and can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 390 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
The Wildcats (5-1) last played a regular-season game at the United Center on Dec. 17, 2016, when they defeated Dayton, 67-64. NU's first-ever meeting against the Cowboys (6-0) follows a tilt between Duke and Arkansas, which will begin at 7 p.m. CT.
Last time out, junior forward Arrinten Page converted a layup with fewer than one second remaining to put the Wildcats up two and secure a 79-77 win against South Carolina at The Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia. Northwestern shot 56.6% (30-of-53) from the field, its third time in the past four games shooting at least 55% from the floor. The Wildcats tallied 21 assists on their 30 makes.
Senior forward Nick Martinelli posted a season-high 25 points, 17 of which came in the second half, along with seven rebounds and two assists. He notched his sixth career 25+ point, 7+ rebound showing, which is tied for the most by a Big Ten player since the start of last season. Page logged 10 points, a career-high six assists, one steal, and one block. Junior guard Jayden Reid posted eight points and nine assists, the most by a Wildcat since Boo Buie had 10 on Jan. 7, 2024 against Michigan State. Sophomore guard Max Green drained three treys, and totaled 13 points in 11 minutes played.
Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins is in his 13th season guiding the Wildcats. With 199 career wins in Evanston, he is one victory shy of joining Naismith Hall of Famer Dutch Lonborg (1927-50) as the only head coaches in program history to reach 200 wins.
Martinelli received significant preseason attention ahead of his final year in Evanston. The 6-foot-7 forward was named to the Wooden Award Watch List, Naismith Player of the Year Watch List, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List, and was a 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten selection. Last season, Martinelli became the fourth Wildcat to lead the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game in 2024-25. His average marked the highest by a Northwestern player since Evan Eschmeyer (21.7, 1997-98). Martinelli's 676 total points broke the school's single-season scoring record, previously held by John Shurna (661, 2011-12).
Martinelli has scored in double-figures in 31 of his last 32 games, and had a streak of 30 games, the longest by a Wildcat since Evan Eschmeyer (1997-99, 65). So far this season, Martinelli is averaging 19.3 points (6th in Big Ten) and 6.0 rebounds (20th) per game while converting 52.7% of his shot attempts (15th). Martinelli is just one of six players nationwide to average 19+ points per game both last season and this season. Dating back to last season, Martinelli has scored 20+ points in eight of his last 10 games.
Transfer acquisitions Page and Reid have made an instant impact for Northwestern. Page, who comes to Northwestern after stops at USC and Cincinnati, has averaged 15.7 points (22nd in Big Ten), 7.0 rebounds (11th), 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 62.7% shooting (5th). Page has reached double-figures in five of his first six games in a Northwestern jersey, and has scored the third-most points in a player's first six games as a Wildcat since 2005-06, trailing Michael "Juice" Thompson (2007-08) and Jalen Leach (2024-25).
Coming from USF, Reid has posted averages of 13.5 points and 6.2 assists per game (4th in Big Ten) while draining 45.5% of his 3-point attempts. Reid is the only high-major player averaging 13+ points and 6+ assists per game on at least 45% shooting from beyond the arc. Reid has recorded 8+ assists in three of his past five games.
Northwestern has held opponents to shoot a combined 38.1% this season, which ranks fourth in the conference. On the other end, the Wildcats are draining 51.9% of their shot attempts, ranking third in the Big Ten and 18th nationally. In addition, Northwestern is converting on 41.9% of its three-point attempts, which is the Big Ten's top mark and nation's 12th-best. The Wildcats have continued their steady, turnover-free basketball, turning the ball over a mere 8.7 times per game — the second-fewest in the Big Ten and the ninth-fewest nationwide — while posting a 2.4 assist/turnover ratio, leading the conference and ranking fourth in the nation.
Northwestern will face off against Oklahoma State for the first time in program history. The two teams will meet in a neutral-site game in Oklahoma City at a date to be announced during the 2026-27 season. The Wildcats are meeting a Big 12 opponent for just the fifth time during the Chris Collins era and for the first time since Dec. 21, 2018, when Oklahoma defeated Northwestern 76-69 in OT in Evanston.
The Cowboys are off to their best start to a season and longest winning streak since the 2020-21 season. They are averaging 93.2 points per game and have posted 85+ points in each game this season. Oklahoma State has a duo of 15+ point per game scorers, with Vyctorius Miller registering 17.5 points per game on 50.0% shooting from beyond the arc and Jaylen Curry averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Northwestern opens Big Ten play on Wednesday, Dec. 3, against Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
The Wildcats (5-1) last played a regular-season game at the United Center on Dec. 17, 2016, when they defeated Dayton, 67-64. NU's first-ever meeting against the Cowboys (6-0) follows a tilt between Duke and Arkansas, which will begin at 7 p.m. CT.
Last time out, junior forward Arrinten Page converted a layup with fewer than one second remaining to put the Wildcats up two and secure a 79-77 win against South Carolina at The Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia. Northwestern shot 56.6% (30-of-53) from the field, its third time in the past four games shooting at least 55% from the floor. The Wildcats tallied 21 assists on their 30 makes.
Senior forward Nick Martinelli posted a season-high 25 points, 17 of which came in the second half, along with seven rebounds and two assists. He notched his sixth career 25+ point, 7+ rebound showing, which is tied for the most by a Big Ten player since the start of last season. Page logged 10 points, a career-high six assists, one steal, and one block. Junior guard Jayden Reid posted eight points and nine assists, the most by a Wildcat since Boo Buie had 10 on Jan. 7, 2024 against Michigan State. Sophomore guard Max Green drained three treys, and totaled 13 points in 11 minutes played.
Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins is in his 13th season guiding the Wildcats. With 199 career wins in Evanston, he is one victory shy of joining Naismith Hall of Famer Dutch Lonborg (1927-50) as the only head coaches in program history to reach 200 wins.
Martinelli received significant preseason attention ahead of his final year in Evanston. The 6-foot-7 forward was named to the Wooden Award Watch List, Naismith Player of the Year Watch List, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List, and was a 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten selection. Last season, Martinelli became the fourth Wildcat to lead the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game in 2024-25. His average marked the highest by a Northwestern player since Evan Eschmeyer (21.7, 1997-98). Martinelli's 676 total points broke the school's single-season scoring record, previously held by John Shurna (661, 2011-12).
Martinelli has scored in double-figures in 31 of his last 32 games, and had a streak of 30 games, the longest by a Wildcat since Evan Eschmeyer (1997-99, 65). So far this season, Martinelli is averaging 19.3 points (6th in Big Ten) and 6.0 rebounds (20th) per game while converting 52.7% of his shot attempts (15th). Martinelli is just one of six players nationwide to average 19+ points per game both last season and this season. Dating back to last season, Martinelli has scored 20+ points in eight of his last 10 games.
Transfer acquisitions Page and Reid have made an instant impact for Northwestern. Page, who comes to Northwestern after stops at USC and Cincinnati, has averaged 15.7 points (22nd in Big Ten), 7.0 rebounds (11th), 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 62.7% shooting (5th). Page has reached double-figures in five of his first six games in a Northwestern jersey, and has scored the third-most points in a player's first six games as a Wildcat since 2005-06, trailing Michael "Juice" Thompson (2007-08) and Jalen Leach (2024-25).
Coming from USF, Reid has posted averages of 13.5 points and 6.2 assists per game (4th in Big Ten) while draining 45.5% of his 3-point attempts. Reid is the only high-major player averaging 13+ points and 6+ assists per game on at least 45% shooting from beyond the arc. Reid has recorded 8+ assists in three of his past five games.
Northwestern has held opponents to shoot a combined 38.1% this season, which ranks fourth in the conference. On the other end, the Wildcats are draining 51.9% of their shot attempts, ranking third in the Big Ten and 18th nationally. In addition, Northwestern is converting on 41.9% of its three-point attempts, which is the Big Ten's top mark and nation's 12th-best. The Wildcats have continued their steady, turnover-free basketball, turning the ball over a mere 8.7 times per game — the second-fewest in the Big Ten and the ninth-fewest nationwide — while posting a 2.4 assist/turnover ratio, leading the conference and ranking fourth in the nation.
Northwestern will face off against Oklahoma State for the first time in program history. The two teams will meet in a neutral-site game in Oklahoma City at a date to be announced during the 2026-27 season. The Wildcats are meeting a Big 12 opponent for just the fifth time during the Chris Collins era and for the first time since Dec. 21, 2018, when Oklahoma defeated Northwestern 76-69 in OT in Evanston.
The Cowboys are off to their best start to a season and longest winning streak since the 2020-21 season. They are averaging 93.2 points per game and have posted 85+ points in each game this season. Oklahoma State has a duo of 15+ point per game scorers, with Vyctorius Miller registering 17.5 points per game on 50.0% shooting from beyond the arc and Jaylen Curry averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Northwestern opens Big Ten play on Wednesday, Dec. 3, against Wisconsin in Madison, Wis. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
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