‘Cats Meet Huskies to Close Homestand on Saturday Night

Saturday, January 31

Evanston, Ill.

7 p.m. CT

Northwestern

Washington

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Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

‘Cats Meet Huskies to Close Homestand on Saturday Night

1/30/2026 5:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern men's basketball plays its second game in three days when it takes on Washington on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network with Dave Revsine (play-by-play) and Bruce Weber (analyst) on the call, and it can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 388 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).

Last time out (Jan. 29), the Wildcats (10-11, 2-8 Big Ten) dominated Penn State, 94-73. Northwestern had 30 assists while shooting 60.3% (38-of-63) from the floor and draining a season-high 12 threes, going 12-of-22 (54.5%) from beyond the arc. Senior forward Nick Martinelli tied his career-high with 34 points, converting career-highs of 13 field goals and 4 three-point attempts. First-year forward Tre Singleton posted 17 points, tying his career-high, a career-high 18 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks on 7-of-10 shooting, while sophomore guard Angelo Ciaravino registered a career-high 20 points and four rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting. First-year guard Jake West dished out a career-high 13 assists with just one turnover, with a game-high +34 +/-.

The Wildcats scored their most points in a regulation game against a Big Ten opponent since Feb. 27, 2016, when they scored 98 points against Rutgers.
Northwestern's 12 threes were its most in a game this season since Jan. 22, 2025, against Indiana (13).
Northwestern's 30 assists are tied for the third most in program history and its most in a game since Feb. 27, 2016, against Rutgers (33).
Northwestern's 49 second-half points were its most in a half in Big Ten play this season.
Northwestern outrebounded the Nittany Lions, 34-21. Northwestern's +13 rebound differential is its best in a Big Ten game this season.
Martinelli recorded his fifth career 30+ point game, tied for the most among active Big Ten players.
Singleton is the first high-major player in the country this season to post 17+ points, 18+ rebounds, 4+ assists, and 2+ blocks. The last high-major player to register these numbers was Auburn's Johni Broome on Dec. 14, 2024, against Ohio State.
Singleton posted the first 15+ point, 15+ rebound game by a Wildcat since Dererk Pardon on Jan. 2, 2018, against Nebraska.
Singleton's 18 rebounds are the most by a Wildcat first-year since at least 2004-05, and the most by a Northwestern player since Dererk Pardon had 18 on Nov. 12, 2018, against American.
West's 13 assists are tied for the third most in a single game in program history.
West's 13 assists are the most by a Big Ten first-year in a conference game since Penn State's Tony Carr had 14 on Feb. 1, 2017, against Indiana.

This season, Martinelli leads the country, averaging 24.0 points per game, while converting 55.1% of his field goal attempts (6th in Big Ten). The Glenview, Ill. native is pulling down 6.7 rebounds per game (15th). He is shooting 49.2% from 3-point distance, the 14th-best mark nationally, per KenPom. Martinelli has scored 20+ points in 12 straight games, the third-longest streak by a Big Ten player since 1996-97, behind Iowa's Luka Garza (2020, 19) and Purdue's Zach Edey (2024, 16). It is also the longest active streak in the nation and tied for the 8th-longest streak by a high-major player since 1996-97. This season, Martinelli has 17 games with 20 or more points, which leads the country. Over the last two seasons, Martinelli has scored 1,155 points, which ranks second nationally and is the most by a forward.

Martinelli's 24.0 points per game would rank second in program history, trailing Dale Kelley in 1969-70 (24.3).
Martinelli would be the first Northwestern player to average 20+ points per game in back-to-back campaigns since Jim Burns (1965-66, 1966-67).
Martinelli has scored in double-figures 63 times in his career and 20+ points 37 times, which ranks third at Northwestern since 2004, trailing only John Shurna (2008-12, 45) and Boo Buie (2019-2024, 41).
Martinelli has scored 25+ points in nine games this season, tied with himself last season for the most such games in a season by a Wildcat.
Martinelli has five career 30+ point games, tied for the most among active Big Ten players.
Martinelli has 1,507 career points, which ranks 14th in Northwestern program history. He needs 12 points to pass Tre Demps (2011-16) to move into 13th place, 15 points to pass Jitim Young (2000-04) to move into 12th place, and 27 points to pass Cedric Neloms (1991-95) to move into 11th place.
Over his last 12 games, Martinelli is averaging 26.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Last season, Martinelli set program records in single-season points (676) and field goals made (251).

The Wildcats have continued to share the ball without turning it over, as their 2.18 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks first in the nation and would be the first-highest mark in Division I history. Northwestern is averaging the nation's fewest turnovers (8.4), while ranking 14th in the country with 18.4 assists per game. The Wildcats' offense is producing 77.3 points per game, its most since 1989-90 (78.2).

Northwestern's 8.4 turnovers per game and 18.4 assists per game are both program records.
The Wildcats' +2.5 turnover margin ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 52nd nationally.
Northwestern is forcing opponents to shoot 30.7% from beyond the arc, the 59th-best in the nation.
The Wildcats have upped their pace this season, averaging 12.7 fast break points per game — ranking third in the Big Ten.
Northwestern has played seven games decided by five points or fewer, which is the second most in the Big Ten. Over the past four seasons, the Wildcats have played 42 such games, which is also tied for the conference's most and ranks tied for 20th nationally.

Junior guard Jayden Reid has averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 assists per game (4th in Big Ten). His 5.3 assists per game would rank tied for third in program history, trailing only Bryant McIntosh (6.7) in 2015-16 and Pat Baldwin (5.4) in 1992-93. Singleton has 18 starts this season (2nd on team) and is averaging 8.0 points (11th among Big Ten first-years), 5.3 rebounds (3rd), and 1.6 assists (T-8th) per game. His 8.0 points per game are the most by a Wildcat first-year since the 2019-20 season (Boo Buie: 10.3, Ryan Young: 9.0). His 18 starts are the most by a Northwestern first-year since Ryan Young (31) and Robbie Beran (18) in 2019-20.

Ciaravino is averaging career-highs across the board with 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 54.9% shooting.
First-year guard Jake West has started the last five games for the Wildcats. Over his last six games, he is averaging 6.5 points and 5.0 assists per game. His 2.6 assists per game on the season ranks tied for fourth among Big Ten first-years.

Saturday night's matchup will be Northwestern's 10th meeting with the Huskies (11-10, 3-7 Big Ten). The Wildcats, who trail the all-time series 7-2, are aiming for their first win against Washington since Dec. 20, 1960 (53-45).

When the teams last faced off for the first time as Big Ten foes last season (Feb 8, 2025), Northwestern fell 76-71. The Wildcats led with fewer than five minutes remaining but failed to hold on. Martinelli tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Ty Berry notched 14 points, draining two threes, and recorded two steals. Justin Mullins added 13 points in his first start at Northwestern. It was the first game NU played without Brooks Barnhizer and Jalen Leach due to injury.

The Huskies come to Evanston having dropped four of their last five games, most recently losing at Illinois, 75-66, on Thursday night. Washington is led by Hannes Steinbach, who is averaging 17.4 points per game (11th in Big Ten) and a conference-best 11.3 rebounds per game (4th in nation). He has 13 double-doubles this season, which rank atop the Big Ten. Zoom Diallo ranks 18th in the Big Ten with 14.9 points per game, adding on 3.9 assists per game.

The Huskies average 38.1 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
Washington's 4.3 blocks per game is the fifth-most in the conference.

The Wildcats head travel south to face No. 9 Illinois for the second time this season on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network and ESPN 1000 WMVP.