EVANSTON, Ill. — In a thrilling matchup on Friday night, Nick Martinelli led Northwestern to a closely contested 70-66 victory over No. 19 Illinois, notching 27 points, including seven in overtime.
Brooks Barnhizer contributed significantly with 17 points, while Jalen Leach added 16, helping the Wildcats (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten) rally from a 10-point deficit to secure the win. Barnhizer’s crucial free throw in the final moments of overtime proved to be the decisive moment in the game.
With just 41 seconds remaining in regulation, Barnhizer hit a jumper from the paint that tied the game at 56. At one point, Illinois held a commanding 46-36 lead midway through the second half.
For the Fighting Illini (6-2, 0-1), Kasparas Jakucionis was a standout performer, leading with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He was supported by Tomislav Ivisic, who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and freshman Will Riley, who added 12 points off the bench.
This victory marks Northwestern’s second consecutive win against a ranked opponent at home to begin the conference season, following last year’s surprising upset of Purdue’s Zach Edey.
Key takeaways from the game include Northwestern’s ability to recover from a previous loss to Iowa, where they fell 80-79 due to a last-second three-pointer by Josh Dix. For Illinois, this loss stands in stark contrast to their recent 90-77 victory over then-No. 19 Arkansas, where they enjoyed an early 21-6 lead and maintained control throughout.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Jakucionis attempted a driving layup, only to be thwarted by Northwestern center Matthew Nicholson, who secured the rebound with 39 seconds left in overtime while the Wildcats led 67-66. Northwestern capitalized on this defensive stop by adding two more points through Leach’s free throws.
Another notable statistic from the game revealed that Illinois committed 11 turnovers, while Northwestern had only four, contributing to the Wildcats’ success.
Looking ahead, Illinois will face No. 11 Wisconsin at home on Tuesday, while Northwestern heads to Georgia Tech on December 15.
