EVANSTON, Ill. — Nick Martinelli showcased his scoring prowess once again by netting 27 points on an impressive 10-for-14 shooting performance as Northwestern triumphed over Illinois-Chicago with a score of 83-74 on Tuesday evening.

Jalen Leach contributed significantly with 16 points, Ty Berry added 13, and Luke Hunger chipped in 10 points off the bench for the Wildcats, who improved their record to 2-1.

For the Flames, Javon Jackson led the way with 17 points, followed closely by Sasa Ciani with 15 points, Filip Skobalj with 13, and Ahmad Henderson II who scored 12 points. The Flames also hold a 2-1 record following the match.

In a pivotal moment with just 1:35 remaining, Ciani completed a three-point play to narrow the Flames’ deficit to 74-70. However, Martinelli quickly responded with a three-point play of his own. He sealed the game by hitting 4 of 6 free throws in the last 39 seconds, while Berry sank two additional free throws to finalize the score.

Berry’s three-pointer at the 11:51 mark in the second half gave Northwestern a 52-42 lead, marking the first time either team enjoyed a double-digit advantage. Though Skobalj responded with a three-pointer for the Flames to reduce their deficit to 59-52, Martinelli answered back with a three-pointer shortly after, restoring a 10-point cushion for the Wildcats.

Northwestern led by two points, 31-29, at halftime, while UIC’s biggest lead in the opening half was 12-6, courtesy of a three-pointer by Joshua Reaves at the 12:46 mark before intermission.

Earlier this week, Martinelli was recognized as the Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the conference in scoring and rebounding. He averaged an impressive 29 points on 21-of-28 shooting (75%) and grabbed 12 rebounds across two games. This achievement made him the only Big Ten player since the 1996-97 season to post over 25 points and 10 rebounds in the first two games of a season.

Historically, Northwestern has a favorable 7-4 record against UIC.