EVANSTON, Ill. — In a strong performance on Friday night, Jalen Leach was instrumental for Northwestern, scoring 21 points, with 15 coming in the second half. Nick Martinelli also had an impressive game, contributing 20 points to help the Wildcats secure a 68-50 victory over Pepperdine.

Martinelli was pivotal at the end of the first half, netting the last eight points of a 12-0 scoring surge that allowed Northwestern to take a commanding 31-16 lead. However, Pepperdine’s Jaxon Olvera managed to shrink the deficit with a 3-pointer just before the break, leaving the score at a 31-19 margin.

In the second half, Pepperdine managed to close the gap to 10 points on two occasions, the latter instance coming from another 3-pointer by Olvera with 14:02 remaining. Yet, Northwestern responded effectively, scoring on both possessions that followed to maintain control of the game. Midway through the second half, Martinelli increased Northwestern’s lead to a substantial 24 points by sinking four consecutive free throws across two possessions.

Although Northwestern struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of 11 attempts, they excelled at the free-throw line, converting 18 out of 21 opportunities. In contrast, Pepperdine faced challenges shooting from distance, managing only 3 of 20 on 3-pointers and finishing the game with an overall shooting percentage of 29%.

Brooks Barnhizer contributed significantly for Northwestern, tallying 13 points, along with six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Notably, Barnhizer recently became the first Northwestern player to achieve at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a game since the 2005-06 season.

For Pepperdine, Olvera was the leading scorer with 11 points, while Taj Au-Duke chipped in 10 points. This season marks a new chapter for Pepperdine under head coach Ed Schilling, who previously served as an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University.

Previously, Pepperdine had won both encounters with Northwestern back in 2000, with victories by one and two points, respectively. With this win, Northwestern concluded a four-game homestand and is set to face Butler next Friday at the Arizona Tip-Off in Tempe. At the same time, Pepperdine will head back home to take on Cal State Fullerton this upcoming Tuesday.