EVANSTON, Ill. — In their season opener, Northwestern dominated Lehigh with a decisive 90-46 victory on Monday night, powered by Nick Martinelli’s impressive performance. Martinelli scored 26 points, with 17 coming in the first half, and secured 10 rebounds, leading a strong effort from five teammates who also reached double figures in scoring.

Despite being without veteran player Brooks Barnhizer, who started every game last season but is sidelined with a lower-body injury, the Wildcats quickly established control of the game. They surged to a 9-0 lead right from the start and maintained their advantage throughout, ending the first half with a commanding 51-15 lead thanks to a shooting percentage of 58%. This marked a successful start to the season and contributed to Chris Collins’ impressive record as head coach, earning his 11th win in 12 seasons.

Luke Hunger contributed significantly off the bench, scoring 15 points while shooting 7-of-10 from the field. Alongside him, Jalen Leach added 12 points, along with five rebounds and six assists. Ty Berry and K.J. Windham both chipped in with 10 points each; Windham also recorded six assists. As a team, Northwestern had a solid shooting performance, hitting 36 of their 66 attempts for a success rate of 54.4%, including 9 of 20 from beyond the arc, which translates to 45%.

On the other side, Lehigh struggled to find their rhythm offensively. Nasir Whitlock led the Mountain Hawks with 11 points and four assists, while Tyler Whitney-Sidney added another 10 points. As a team, Lehigh managed to shoot only 17 of 53 from the field, resulting in a mere 32% shooting rate, and they struggled from three-point range, hitting just 2 of 17 attempts.

This game highlighted Northwestern’s potential as they look to build on this momentum in the forthcoming season, showcasing a blend of veteran prowess and fresh talent in their lineup.