Thursday, March 13
Indianapolis, Ind.
Approximately 1:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
17-16,7-13Big Ten
63
vs
70
#18 Wisconsin
24-8,13-7Big Ten
1
2
F
Northwestern
30
33
63
Wisconsin
37
33
70
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Martinelli Sets Single-Season School Scoring Record in Loss to No. 18 Wisconsin
3/13/2025 5:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS - Junior Nick Martinelli became Northwestern's single-season leading scorer as he scored 22 points in the Wildcats' (17-16, 7-13 Big Ten) 70-63 defeat to No. 5-seed and No. 18-nationally Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament Second Round on Thursday afternoon inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
No. 5-seed Northwestern led for the majority of the first ten minutes of the contest before an 8-0 run gave the Badgers (24-8, 13-7 Big Ten) a lead they never surrendered.
"Obviously, it's always tough when you lose your last game, but I always say when the emotions come out in the locker room at the end of the year, it means that it was really special because that's how much everyone cared," Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins said. "We fought hard. We had little stretches of the game where it got away from us a little bit."
Totaling 676 points this year, Martinelli surpassed John Shurna's record of 661 points set in 2011-12. This season, Martinelli also set the program's single-season field goals made record with 251 made field goals, shattering John Shurna's record of 228 set in the 2011-12 season.
Martinelli became the only Northwestern player to notch consecutive 20+ point games in the Big Ten Tournament since at least 2005-06. He scored 50 points over the course of the Big Ten Tournament, tied for the most points scored by a Wildcat during the Big Ten Tournament with Michael "Juice" Thompson (2010-11).
"I've had to pull the reins in on him because sometimes he's been in the gym too much — because that's how badly he wants to be a great player," Collins said. "But that's what it takes. I've been lucky in my life to be around a lot of the best of the best. … I'd be hard pressed to think there's going to be too many better players in the country next year."
Martinelli tallied his 18th 20+ point game of the season, tied with John Shurna (2011-12) and Boo Buie (2023-24) for the most in a season by a Northwestern player since 2005-06. The Glenview, Ill. native ended the season with 26 straight games of 10+ points, the most by a Northwestern player since at least 2000. His 18 straight games with 15+ points stand as the longest active streak in the nation and is the longest by a Wildcat since at least 1996.
First-year K.J. Windham registered 14 points and five assists, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. His 14 points are the third most by a Northwestern first-year in the Big Ten Tournament since 2005-06 and the most since Drew Crawford had 15 points on March 12, 2010.
"(K.J.'s) really grown in so many areas throughout the course of the year," Collins said. "Obviously when Jalen Leach went down, who was our primary ball-handler, we really needed K.J. to step up, and to see him these last eight to 10 games really grow, it's a great sign of the future."
Gallery: (3-13-2025) Men's Basketball vs. Wisconsin
Sophomore Jordan Clayton tallied 10 points and four rebounds, posting 10+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
Northwestern led for over eight minutes in the contest until the Badgers took control with an 8-0 run to take the lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half. Wisconsin led 37-30 at halftime.
"For these guys to say, 'You know what, we're not going down like that.' For us to fight those last seven minutes and get it back to seven, I'm just so proud of this group," Collins said. "You want to feel like your guys left it on the floor and they gave it everything they had. They gave you everything they had. They did. These guys gave me everything they had."
Northwestern concluded the 2024-25 season with its third consecutive winning campaign.
No. 5-seed Northwestern led for the majority of the first ten minutes of the contest before an 8-0 run gave the Badgers (24-8, 13-7 Big Ten) a lead they never surrendered.
"Obviously, it's always tough when you lose your last game, but I always say when the emotions come out in the locker room at the end of the year, it means that it was really special because that's how much everyone cared," Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins said. "We fought hard. We had little stretches of the game where it got away from us a little bit."
Totaling 676 points this year, Martinelli surpassed John Shurna's record of 661 points set in 2011-12. This season, Martinelli also set the program's single-season field goals made record with 251 made field goals, shattering John Shurna's record of 228 set in the 2011-12 season.
Martinelli became the only Northwestern player to notch consecutive 20+ point games in the Big Ten Tournament since at least 2005-06. He scored 50 points over the course of the Big Ten Tournament, tied for the most points scored by a Wildcat during the Big Ten Tournament with Michael "Juice" Thompson (2010-11).
"I've had to pull the reins in on him because sometimes he's been in the gym too much — because that's how badly he wants to be a great player," Collins said. "But that's what it takes. I've been lucky in my life to be around a lot of the best of the best. … I'd be hard pressed to think there's going to be too many better players in the country next year."
Martinelli tallied his 18th 20+ point game of the season, tied with John Shurna (2011-12) and Boo Buie (2023-24) for the most in a season by a Northwestern player since 2005-06. The Glenview, Ill. native ended the season with 26 straight games of 10+ points, the most by a Northwestern player since at least 2000. His 18 straight games with 15+ points stand as the longest active streak in the nation and is the longest by a Wildcat since at least 1996.
First-year K.J. Windham registered 14 points and five assists, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. His 14 points are the third most by a Northwestern first-year in the Big Ten Tournament since 2005-06 and the most since Drew Crawford had 15 points on March 12, 2010.
"(K.J.'s) really grown in so many areas throughout the course of the year," Collins said. "Obviously when Jalen Leach went down, who was our primary ball-handler, we really needed K.J. to step up, and to see him these last eight to 10 games really grow, it's a great sign of the future."
Sophomore Jordan Clayton tallied 10 points and four rebounds, posting 10+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
Northwestern led for over eight minutes in the contest until the Badgers took control with an 8-0 run to take the lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half. Wisconsin led 37-30 at halftime.
"For these guys to say, 'You know what, we're not going down like that.' For us to fight those last seven minutes and get it back to seven, I'm just so proud of this group," Collins said. "You want to feel like your guys left it on the floor and they gave it everything they had. They gave you everything they had. They did. These guys gave me everything they had."
Northwestern concluded the 2024-25 season with its third consecutive winning campaign.
Team Stats
NU
Wisc
FG%
.370
.415
3FG%
.250
.320
FT%
.818
.783
RB
36
32
TO
14
10
STL
4
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
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