Northwestern Closes 2025-26 Regular Season at Minnesota

Saturday, March 7

Minneapolis, Minn.

8 p.m. CT

Northwestern

Minnesota

Northwestern Closes 2025-26 Regular Season at Minnesota

3/6/2026 3:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com

MINNEAPOLIS — Northwestern men's basketball, winners of three of its last four games, closes out its 2025-26 regular season by facing Minnesota for the second time this season on Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. inside Williams Arena. The game will air on Big Ten Network with Cory Provus (play-by-play) and Shon Morris (analyst) on the call, and it can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 385 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).

Last time out (March 4), the Wildcats (13-17, 5-14 Big Ten) led for the majority of the game but fell to No. 15 Purdue, 70-66. Senior forward Nick Martinelli recorded a game-high 28 points and three assists on his Senior Night, while junior guard Jayden Reid tallied 16 points, a team-high four assists, and two steals. Northwestern held the Boilermakers to just 25 points in the first half, Purdue's fewest points in a half this season. Additionally, the Wildcats shot 51.1% (24-of-47) from the floor, while forcing the Boilermakers into 14 turnovers. The contest marked Northwestern's fourth consecutive game decided by five points or fewer.

This season, Martinelli leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally in scoring, averaging 22.7 points per game, while converting 50.1% of his field goal attempts (6th in Big Ten). The Glenview, Ill., native is pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game (18th). Martinelli has 22 games with 20+ points this season, which leads the conference and ranks second nationally. Martinelli's 22.7 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). The league's leading scorer last season, 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 seventh in points and fifth in field goals, and in its single-season leaderboards, the 6-foot-7 forward currently ranks third in points and second in field goals made.

With his 28 points last time out against Purdue, Martinelli became the first Big Ten player to score 20+ points against all 17 conference opponents in a career.
Martinelli is looking to become just the sixth player in the Big Ten to lead the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons since 1990: Zach Edey (Purdue, 2023-24), Luka Garza (Iowa, 2020-21), Evan Turner (Ohio State, 2009-10), Glenn Robinson (Purdue, 1993-94), and Steve Smith (Michigan State, 1990-91). The five other players to accomplish the feat were named either National Player of the Year or a First-Team All-American.
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 71 times in his career, including 54 of his last 56 games, and has posted 20+ points 42 times, trailing only John Shurna (2008-12, 45).
Martinelli's 22 games with 20+ points this season are the most such games by a Wildcat in a single season since at least 2004.
Martinelli has 12 games with 25+ points this season, the most such games in a single season by a Northwestern player since at least 2004.
Martinelli has 22 career games with 25+ points, the most such games by a Wildcat in a career since 2004. Martinelli's 22 career 25-point games are the most of any active Big Ten player.
Martinelli has 1,687 career points, which ranks seventh in Northwestern program history. He needs three points to pass Michael "Juice" Thompson (2007-11) to move into seventh place.
Martinelli has 659 points this season, which is the third-most in Northwestern single-season history. He needs three points to pass 2011-12 John Shurna to move into second place and 18 points to pass himself last season to move into first place.
Martinelli has 625 career field goals made, which ranks fifth in Northwestern program history.
Martinelli has 229 field goals made this season, which ranks second in Northwestern single-season history. He is 24 field goals away from passing himself last season to move into first place.
Over the last two seasons, Martinelli has scored 1,335 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 (8.6) while ranking 33rd in the country with 17.0 assists per game. The Wildcats' offense is producing 73.4 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' 8.6 turnovers per game are a program record.
Northwestern's 17.0 assists per game rank second in program history, trailing only 1993-94 (17.8).
The Wildcats' +2.9 turnover margin ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 39th nationally.
Northwestern has 24 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 11.5 times per game, which ranks seventh in the conference. The Wildcats have forced 14+ turnovers in four of their last five games for the first time since Feb. 13-25, 2022.
Northwestern has upped its pace this season, averaging 11.4 fast break points per game — ranking third in the Big Ten.
The Wildcats are averaging 20.4 bench points per game, the seventh-most in the Big Ten.
Northwestern ranks seventh in the conference with 3.9 blocks per game. That mark is tied for the fourth-most in program history.

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 27, 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 7.6 points (12th among Big Ten first-years), 4.8 rebounds (5th), and 1.5 assists (11th) per game. First-year guard Jake West has started his last 13 games, 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 7.6 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 7.6 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.

Reid has logged 10.1 points and 4.9 assists per game (5th in Big Ten), and he has scored 10+ points in consecutive games for the first time this season. Junior forward Arrinten Page has recorded 10.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game (13th in Big Ten) on 54.6% shooting, while sophomore guard Angelo Ciaravino has logged career-highs across the board with 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 52.7% 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.
Northwestern has claimed five of its last seven meetings with the Golden Gophers (14-16, 7-12 Big Ten), with the teams splitting the last four games in Williams Arena. The Wildcats are 6-3 in their last nine trips to Williams Arena. Northwestern is aiming to win consecutive road games against Minnesota for the first time since 2016-18. Last season, when the teams squared off in Minneapolis (Feb. 25, 2025), Martinelli scored a then-Big Ten career-high of 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting in a wire-to-wire 75-63 victory.

When the Wildcats faced the Golden Gophers earlier this season (Jan. 3), Northwestern fell 84-78. Martinelli tallied a game-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field with six rebounds, while Page logged 19 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the foul line and swatted three shots. Reid posted 19 points and dished out seven assists, his career-high in a conference game. The Wildcats shot 49.1% (28-for-57) from the field and turned the ball over just four times.

Minnesota has lost two of its last three games, most recently falling on the road to Indiana, 77-47, but has won two consecutive home games. Cade Tyson leads the Golden Gophers and ranks sixth in the Big Ten, averaging 19.7 points per game. He also averages 5.4 rebounds per game. Minnesota has held its opponents to just 68.5 points per game on average this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 48th nationally.

The Golden Gophers rank 25th nationally in both assist-to-turnover ratio (1.65) and assists per game (17.2).
Minnesota ranks fourth in the conference in steals per game (6.5).
Tyson is joined in double figures by Langston Reynolds (11.4 points per game), Isaac Asuma (11.1), and Bobby Durkin (10.1).
Reynolds averages 4.5 assists per game, which ranks seventh in the conference.

Northwestern will shift its focus to the Big Ten Tournament, which takes place from March 10-15 at the United Center in Chicago. The Wildcats' seed and matchup are to be determined.