Wildcats Carry Three-Game Win Streak into Senior Night vs. No. 15 Purdue

Wednesday, March 4

Evanston, Ill.

7:30 p.m. CT

Northwestern

#15 Purdue

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Photo by: Griffin Quinn / Northwestern Athletics

Wildcats Carry Three-Game Win Streak into Senior Night vs. No. 15 Purdue

3/3/2026 3:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — Winners of three consecutive Big Ten Conference games for the first time this season, Northwestern men's basketball faces No. 15 Purdue on Wednesday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. inside Welsh-Ryan Arena for its final home game of the 2025-26 campaign. Before the contest begins, forward Gus Hurlburt, forward Nick Martinelli, guard Justin Mullins, and guard Blake Smith will be honored as part of Senior Night festivities. The game will air on Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Jordan Taylor (analyst), and Andy Katz (sideline) on the call, and it can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 392 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).

Last time out (Feb. 28), Martinelli hit a game-winner with less than two seconds remaining to give the Wildcats (13-16, 5-13 Big Ten) a 63-62 victory over Oregon. Martinelli recorded 22 points, 11 rebounds, a career-high seven assists and a season-high three steals, becoming the first player in the nation to post those numbers against a Division I opponent this season. The Ducks' 62 points were the fewest by a Northwestern opponent in conference play this season, and the Wildcats induced 16 turnovers, tied for their most forced in conference play this season. Northwestern trailed by as many as 12 early in the second half.

Junior guard Jayden Reid posted 11 points, seven assists, and three steals, while junior forward Arrinten Page registered nine points, four rebounds, a career-high four steals, and three blocks, tying his career high.
In the second half, the Wildcats shot 61.5% (16-of-26) from the floor, while holding the Ducks to 31.3% (10-of-32) shooting.

The Wildcats' three-game winning streak is tied for the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten. The team is eyeing a four-game winning streak for the first time in Big Ten play since it won five in a row from Feb. 5-19, 2023. With its matchup against the Boilermakers (22-7, 12-6 Big Ten), Northwestern is playing its seventh matchup against an AP Top 15 team this season, its most such games in a season since 2021-22 (7). The Wildcats have won a game against an AP Top 20 team in six consecutive seasons, and Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins has won 17 games in his career against ranked opponents, the most by a Northwestern head coach in program history.

This season, Martinelli leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally in scoring, averaging 22.5 points per game, while converting 50.2% of his field goal attempts (8th in Big Ten). The Glenview, Ill., native is pulling down 6.3 rebounds per game (15th). Martinelli has 21 games with 20+ points this season, which leads the conference and ranks tied for second nationally. Martinelli's 22.5 points per game would rank fifth in program history, trailing Dale Kelley in 1969-70 (24.3), Frank Ehmann in 1954-55 (23.9), Rich Falk in 1963-64 (23.3), and Joe Ruklick in 1958-59 (23.0). 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). In Northwestern's career leaderboards, Martinelli ranks eighth in both points and field goals, and in its single-season leaderboards, the 6-foot-7 forward currently ranks fourth in points and third in field goals made.

Martinelli joins Zach Edey (2022-23, 2023-24), Keegan Murray (2020-21), and Luka Garza (2019-20, 2020-21) as the only Big Ten players in the past 30 years to average 22+ points per game and 6+ rebounds per game.
Martinelli had a 12-game streak of 20+ points from Dec. 6, 2025-Jan. 29, 2026. It was 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 was also tied for the eighth-longest streak by a high-major player since 1996-97.
Martinelli has scored in double figures 70 times in his career, including 53 of his last 55 games, and has posted 20+ points 41 times, ranking tied with Boo Buie (2019-2024) for second at Northwestern since 2004, trailing only John Shurna (2008-12, 45).
Martinelli's 21 games with 20+ points this season are the most such games by a Wildcat in a single season since at least 2004.
Martinelli has 11 games with 25+ points this season, the most such games in a single season by a Northwestern player since at least 2004.
Martinelli has 21 career games with 25+ points, the most such games by a Wildcat in a career since 2004. Martinelli's 21 career 25-point games are the most of any active Big Ten player.
Martinelli has 1,659 career points, which ranks eighth in Northwestern program history. He needs 25 points to pass Bryant McIntosh (2014-18) to move into seventh place.
Martinelli has 631 points this season, which is the fourth-most in Northwestern single-season history. He needs 16 points to pass 2023-24 Boo Buie to move into third place and 31 points to pass 2011-12 John Shurna to move into second place.
Martinelli has 616 career field goals made, which ranks eighth in Northwestern program history. He needs six field goals to pass Bryant McIntosh (2015-18) and Evan Eschmeyer (1995-99) to move into sixth place and eight field goals to pass Jim Stack (1979-83) to move into fifth place.
Martinelli has 220 field goals made this season, which ranks third in Northwestern single-season history. He needs nine field goals to pass 2011-12 John Shurna to move into second.
Over the last two seasons, Martinelli has scored 1,307 points, which ranks second nationally and is the most by a forward.
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 1.97 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks second in the nation. Northwestern is averaging the nation's second-fewest turnovers (8.7) while ranking 30th in the country with 17.1 assists per game. The Wildcats' offense is producing 73.7 points per game, their most since 1993-94 (75.0). Northwestern has scored 75 or more points in 15 games this season, its most in a single season since 1993-94 (16).

The Wildcats' 8.7 turnovers per game are a program record.
Northwestern's 17.1 assists per game rank second in program history, trailing only 1993-94 (17.8).
The Wildcats' +2.7 turnover margin ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 44th nationally.
Northwestern has 23 games with 10 or fewer turnovers this season, which is the most such games in the nation among high-major teams. The Wildcats have turned the ball over 10 or fewer times in 15 of their last 19 games.
Northwestern is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 11.4 times per game, which ranks seventh in the conference. The Wildcats have forced 15+ turnovers in three of their last four games. The last time that Northwestern did this was Jan. 4-15, 2023.
Northwestern has upped its pace this season, averaging 11.6 fast break points per game — ranking third in the Big Ten. Last time out, the Wildcats scored 20 fastbreak points, their most in a conference game since at least the 2018-19 season.
The Wildcats are averaging 20.7 bench points per game, the seventh-most in the Big Ten.
Northwestern ranks seventh in the conference with 3.8 blocks per game.

Northwestern's first-years have come to the forefront as the season has continued. First-year forward Tre Singleton has the second-most starts on the team with 26, which are the most starts by a Wildcat first-year since 2019-20 when Ryan Young tallied 31 and the fifth-most starts by a first-year in the Collins era. He is averaging 7.8 points (12th among Big Ten first-years), 4.9 rebounds (5th), and 1.4 assists (11th) per game. First-year guard Jake West has started the last 13 games for Northwestern, and over his last 10 games, he is averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. First-year forward Tyler Kropp has started 10 games for the team, as the Wildcats have had three first-years start 10+ games for the first time since the 2019-20 season and for the third time under Collins.

Singleton's 7.8 points per game are the most by a Northwestern first-year since the 2019-20 season (Boo Buie: 10.3, Ryan Young: 9.0). His 7.8 points per game rank as the fifth-most by a Wildcat first-year under Collins.
West's 2.8 assists per game on the season rank fourth among Big Ten first-years, and are the most by a Northwestern first-year since Bryant McIntosh averaged 4.7 in 2014-15.

Sophomore guard Angelo Ciaravino is averaging career-highs across the board with 6.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 52.4% shooting. In Northwestern's four Big Ten wins this season, Ciaravino has logged 10.0 points per game, the second-most among Wildcats players in those victories. Page is recording 10.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game (15th in Big Ten) on 54.5% shooting, and Reid has logged 9.9 points and 4.9 assists per game (5th in Big Ten).
Northwestern and Purdue have split the last four meetings. The Wildcats have won two consecutive home games against the Boilermakers, and in both matchups, Purdue was ranked as the AP's No. 1 team. Northwestern is looking to win three consecutive home tilts against the Boilermakers for the first time since winning four straight from 2002-06.

Last time out against the Boilermakers (Jan. 5, 2025), Northwestern fell 79-61 in Mackey Arena. Ciaravino scored a then-career-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Brooks Barnhizer stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.

The Boilermakers come to Evanston having dropped three of their last four games, most recently falling to Ohio State, 82-74, on the road. Purdue is led by Braden Smith, who is averaging 15.0 points (17th in Big Ten) and 8.7 assists per game (2nd in nation). The Boilermakers' offense averages 19.6 assists per game, the third-highest mark in the nation. They shoot 49.9% from the floor (2nd in Big Ten, 16th nationally), 38.3% from beyond the arc (1st in Big Ten, 14th nationally), and produce 82.4 points per game (4th in Big Ten, 53rd nationally).

Purdue hoists a 2.18 assist-to-turnover ratio, the highest mark in Division I history. The Boilermakers average just 9.0 turnovers per game, the sixth-fewest in America.
Purdue outscores its opponents by 12.4 points per game, ranking fourth in the conference and 23rd in the country. They hold opponents to 69.9 points per game, ranking seventh in the Big Ten.
Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn both join Smith in double figures, each averaging 13.4 points per game. Kaufman-Renn averages 8.9 rebounds per game (3rd in Big Ten), and Loyer drains 2.7 threes per game (4th in Big Ten).

The Wildcats face Minnesota for the second time this season to wrap up the regular season on Saturday, March 7. Tipoff from Williams Arena is set for 8 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.