Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, January 8
East Lansing, Mich.
5:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
#12 Michigan State
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Begins Road Trip at No. 12 Michigan State
1/7/2026 2:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern men's basketball kicks off a stretch where it plays four of six games on the road when it travels to take on No. 12 Michigan State on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 5:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network with Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and LaPhonso Ellis (analyst) on the call and can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 372 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
Last time out, the Wildcats (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten) fell to Minnesota 84-78, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 3). Northwestern turned the ball over just four times, tied for a season-low, while forcing the Golden Gophers into 11 turnovers. Senior forward Nick Martinelli posted a game-high 26 points and team-high six rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting from the floor. Junior guard Jayden Reid recorded 19 points and seven assists with just one turnover, while junior forward Arrinten Page logged 19 points, three steals, and two blocks.
Northwestern has played six games decided by five points or fewer this season, which leads the Big Ten. Over the last four seasons, the 'Cats have played 41 games (20-21) decided by five points or fewer, also tied for the fifth most in the country over that span.
The Wildcats have continued their steady, turnover-free basketball, turning the ball over just 8.8 times per game — the second-fewest nationwide. They currently hold the nation's best assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.11. Northwestern is averaging 18.6 assists per game (5th in the Big Ten, 24th nationally). The Wildcats have dished out 17 or more assists in each of their last six games, their first time doing so since at least the 2010-11 season. Compared to previous seasons, Northwestern is playing at a faster pace and is averaging 14.1 fastbreak points per game (3rd in the Big Ten).
The team has made 49.0% of its field goal attempts (5th in the Big Ten, 43rd nationally), the highest percentage it has shot through the season's first 14 games during the Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins era. It would also be the best field goal percentage in a single season in program history. The Wildcats are scoring 80.4 points per game, their most through 14 games of a season since 1989-90 (82.8) and have scored 80 or more points in four of their last six games.
This season, Martinelli leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for fourth nationally, averaging 23.0 points per game while converting on 58.2% of his field goal attempts (5th in the Big Ten). With 6.5 rebounds per game (17th), Martinelli would join Jerry Lucas (Ohio State: 1959-60, 1960-61), Alan Henderson (Indiana: 1994-95), and Zach Edey (Purdue: 2022-23, 2023-24) as the only Big Ten players to ever record 23-plus points and six-plus rebounds per game on at least 58% shooting in a season. Dating back to last season, Martinelli has 28 games of 20 or more points, which leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for second nationally. His 10 games scoring 20 or more points this season also lead the conference. After scoring a program single-season record 676 points last season, Martinelli has tallied 975 points dating back to last season, ranking third nationally and the most by a forward. Over his last five games, Martinelli is averaging 28.2 points per game, the highest-scoring five-game stretch by a Wildcat since at least 1996-97.
Page is averaging 15.0 points (18th in the Big Ten), 6.5 rebounds (19th), 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks (9th) per game while shooting 57.9% from the field (7th). Page has reached double figures in scoring in 10 of his last 11 games.
Reid has posted averages of 11.6 points and 5.4 assists per game (4th in the Big Ten). He is 11 assists away from 300 in his career.
Northwestern has defeated the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) in three of the last five meetings between the two squads. The Wildcats have won two of the last three road matchups, with both wins coming with Michigan State ranked in the AP Top 20. Northwestern has defeated at least one AP Top 20 team in each of the past six seasons. In the last meeting, Martinelli scored a game-high 27 points, but Northwestern fell to the No. 16-ranked Spartans 78-68 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 12, 2025.
Michigan State's physical brand of basketball has persisted this season, as the squad ranks atop the Big Ten and fifth nationally in rebound margin (13.5). The Spartans lead the Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game with 13.9. They are holding opponents to just 64.4 points per game, the Big Ten's second-best mark and nation's 15th-best. Jaxon Kohler is averaging 14.2 points and 10.2 rebounds (2nd in Big Ten) per game, and Jeremy Fears is posting 11.9 points and 9.0 assists (2nd in nation) per game.
The Wildcats continue their road trip when they travel to Piscataway, N.J., to play Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. CT. The game will air on Peacock and WGN Radio 720.
Last time out, the Wildcats (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten) fell to Minnesota 84-78, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 3). Northwestern turned the ball over just four times, tied for a season-low, while forcing the Golden Gophers into 11 turnovers. Senior forward Nick Martinelli posted a game-high 26 points and team-high six rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting from the floor. Junior guard Jayden Reid recorded 19 points and seven assists with just one turnover, while junior forward Arrinten Page logged 19 points, three steals, and two blocks.
Northwestern has played six games decided by five points or fewer this season, which leads the Big Ten. Over the last four seasons, the 'Cats have played 41 games (20-21) decided by five points or fewer, also tied for the fifth most in the country over that span.
The Wildcats have continued their steady, turnover-free basketball, turning the ball over just 8.8 times per game — the second-fewest nationwide. They currently hold the nation's best assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.11. Northwestern is averaging 18.6 assists per game (5th in the Big Ten, 24th nationally). The Wildcats have dished out 17 or more assists in each of their last six games, their first time doing so since at least the 2010-11 season. Compared to previous seasons, Northwestern is playing at a faster pace and is averaging 14.1 fastbreak points per game (3rd in the Big Ten).
The team has made 49.0% of its field goal attempts (5th in the Big Ten, 43rd nationally), the highest percentage it has shot through the season's first 14 games during the Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins era. It would also be the best field goal percentage in a single season in program history. The Wildcats are scoring 80.4 points per game, their most through 14 games of a season since 1989-90 (82.8) and have scored 80 or more points in four of their last six games.
This season, Martinelli leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for fourth nationally, averaging 23.0 points per game while converting on 58.2% of his field goal attempts (5th in the Big Ten). With 6.5 rebounds per game (17th), Martinelli would join Jerry Lucas (Ohio State: 1959-60, 1960-61), Alan Henderson (Indiana: 1994-95), and Zach Edey (Purdue: 2022-23, 2023-24) as the only Big Ten players to ever record 23-plus points and six-plus rebounds per game on at least 58% shooting in a season. Dating back to last season, Martinelli has 28 games of 20 or more points, which leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for second nationally. His 10 games scoring 20 or more points this season also lead the conference. After scoring a program single-season record 676 points last season, Martinelli has tallied 975 points dating back to last season, ranking third nationally and the most by a forward. Over his last five games, Martinelli is averaging 28.2 points per game, the highest-scoring five-game stretch by a Wildcat since at least 1996-97.
Page is averaging 15.0 points (18th in the Big Ten), 6.5 rebounds (19th), 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks (9th) per game while shooting 57.9% from the field (7th). Page has reached double figures in scoring in 10 of his last 11 games.
Reid has posted averages of 11.6 points and 5.4 assists per game (4th in the Big Ten). He is 11 assists away from 300 in his career.
Northwestern has defeated the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) in three of the last five meetings between the two squads. The Wildcats have won two of the last three road matchups, with both wins coming with Michigan State ranked in the AP Top 20. Northwestern has defeated at least one AP Top 20 team in each of the past six seasons. In the last meeting, Martinelli scored a game-high 27 points, but Northwestern fell to the No. 16-ranked Spartans 78-68 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 12, 2025.
Michigan State's physical brand of basketball has persisted this season, as the squad ranks atop the Big Ten and fifth nationally in rebound margin (13.5). The Spartans lead the Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game with 13.9. They are holding opponents to just 64.4 points per game, the Big Ten's second-best mark and nation's 15th-best. Jaxon Kohler is averaging 14.2 points and 10.2 rebounds (2nd in Big Ten) per game, and Jeremy Fears is posting 11.9 points and 9.0 assists (2nd in nation) per game.
The Wildcats continue their road trip when they travel to Piscataway, N.J., to play Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. CT. The game will air on Peacock and WGN Radio 720.
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