Sunday, January 12
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
#16 Michigan State
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Welcome No. 16 Spartans to Welsh-Ryan Arena
1/11/2025 10:50:00 AM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern men's basketball returns home, where it will play six of its next eight games, to host No. 16 Michigan State in front of a sold-out crowd at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 12. The game will air on FOX with Gus Johnson (play-by-play) and Jim Jackson (analyst) on the call and WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 384 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
Northwestern (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten) is 7-3 in its last ten games against AP ranked teams. Over the past three seasons, the Wildcats' seven wins against ranked Big Ten Conference teams leads the league. Northwestern has won five straight games at home against AP ranked teams, which is tied for the fourth-longest streak in the country. None of these wins came while the 'Cats were ranked.
The Wildcats were 16-1 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2024, and are 8-0 at home during the 2024-25 season, the team's best record at home to start a season since 2016-17 (8-0). The 2015-16 team was the last to start the home slate 9-0. Dating back to last season, Northwestern has won 23 of its last 25 home games.
Senior Brooks Barnhizer is 12 points away from becoming the 42nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Barnhizer's streak of seven consecutive double-doubles (11/29-1/2) is tied for the longest streak in the country this season. The streak is believed to be the longest by any Wildcat in program history, surpassing Evan Eschmeyer (6) in 1997. Barnhizer is averaging 19.3 points (4th in B1G), 9.5 rebounds (T-2nd), 4.5 assists (T-6th), 2.5 steals (1st) and 1.3 blocks (T-8th) per game. Since 1947-48 there have only been two players in college basketball to average at least 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block per game in a season: Ron Harper (Miami (OH), 1985-86) and Larry Bird (1976-77, Indiana State).
The duo of junior Nick Martinelli (19.4) and Barnhizer (19.3) are one of only two pairs of teammates in the country averaging over 19 points per game this season. Both are averaging 19+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something only five other high-major players are doing.
Martinelli is tied for second in the conference in scoring and ranks 25th nationally while shooting 50.9% from the floor, which places 13th in the conference. He has scored 20+ points in seven games this season, the most by a Northwestern forward since Vic Law had seven such games in 2018-19.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 9.7 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten and 16th fewest nationally. Northwestern has turned the ball fewer than 10 times in four of its last six games.
Northwestern's defense is allowing an average of 66.2 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten and 57th nationally. According to KenPom, Northwestern's defense ranks 27th nationally in adjusted efficiency and 31st in steal percentage.
Graduate student Jalen Leach is third on the team in scoring averaging 13.5 points per game and is tied for 15th in the conference recording 1.4 steals per game. Graduate student Ty Berry and junior Justin Mullins are also averaging 1.4 swipes per contest. As a team, Northwestern ranks third in the league posting 8.7 steals per game.
Last time out, the Wildcats were defeated by No. 20 Purdue 79-61 on the road on Sunday (Jan. 12). First-year Angelo Ciaravino led Northwestern in scoring with a career-high 19 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Ciaravino became the first Northwestern first-year to score 15+ points in a conference game since Boo Buie had 15 points against Nebraska on March 1, 2020, and also became the first Wildcat first-year to lead the team in scoring since Ryan Young with 17 points against Maryland on Feb. 18, 2020.
Barnhizer stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Leach logged 11 points and two assists while knocking down 3-of-7 of his three-point attempts, while Martinelli added double-digit scoring with 10 points and five rebounds.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten), 95-42. The Wildcats have won three of the last four games in the series and are looking to win four of their last five games for the first time since 1975-77. Northwestern defeated Michigan State last year inside Welsh-Ryan Arena 88-74 on January 7 and is looking to win consecutive home games against the Spartans for the first time since 1979-80. Later in the season, the Wildcats fell at Michigan State 53-49 on March 6.
Jaden Akins leads the Spartans in scoring with 13.7 points per game. As a team, Michigan State ranks inside the top 10 in the nation in fastbreak points (19.43, 2nd), bench points per game (38.14, 5th), and rebounding margin (11.0, 7th).
Northwestern will welcome Maryland to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. CT. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network and can be heard on ESPN 1000 WMVP.
Northwestern (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten) is 7-3 in its last ten games against AP ranked teams. Over the past three seasons, the Wildcats' seven wins against ranked Big Ten Conference teams leads the league. Northwestern has won five straight games at home against AP ranked teams, which is tied for the fourth-longest streak in the country. None of these wins came while the 'Cats were ranked.
The Wildcats were 16-1 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2024, and are 8-0 at home during the 2024-25 season, the team's best record at home to start a season since 2016-17 (8-0). The 2015-16 team was the last to start the home slate 9-0. Dating back to last season, Northwestern has won 23 of its last 25 home games.
Senior Brooks Barnhizer is 12 points away from becoming the 42nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Barnhizer's streak of seven consecutive double-doubles (11/29-1/2) is tied for the longest streak in the country this season. The streak is believed to be the longest by any Wildcat in program history, surpassing Evan Eschmeyer (6) in 1997. Barnhizer is averaging 19.3 points (4th in B1G), 9.5 rebounds (T-2nd), 4.5 assists (T-6th), 2.5 steals (1st) and 1.3 blocks (T-8th) per game. Since 1947-48 there have only been two players in college basketball to average at least 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block per game in a season: Ron Harper (Miami (OH), 1985-86) and Larry Bird (1976-77, Indiana State).
The duo of junior Nick Martinelli (19.4) and Barnhizer (19.3) are one of only two pairs of teammates in the country averaging over 19 points per game this season. Both are averaging 19+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something only five other high-major players are doing.
Martinelli is tied for second in the conference in scoring and ranks 25th nationally while shooting 50.9% from the floor, which places 13th in the conference. He has scored 20+ points in seven games this season, the most by a Northwestern forward since Vic Law had seven such games in 2018-19.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 9.7 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten and 16th fewest nationally. Northwestern has turned the ball fewer than 10 times in four of its last six games.
Northwestern's defense is allowing an average of 66.2 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten and 57th nationally. According to KenPom, Northwestern's defense ranks 27th nationally in adjusted efficiency and 31st in steal percentage.
Graduate student Jalen Leach is third on the team in scoring averaging 13.5 points per game and is tied for 15th in the conference recording 1.4 steals per game. Graduate student Ty Berry and junior Justin Mullins are also averaging 1.4 swipes per contest. As a team, Northwestern ranks third in the league posting 8.7 steals per game.
Last time out, the Wildcats were defeated by No. 20 Purdue 79-61 on the road on Sunday (Jan. 12). First-year Angelo Ciaravino led Northwestern in scoring with a career-high 19 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Ciaravino became the first Northwestern first-year to score 15+ points in a conference game since Boo Buie had 15 points against Nebraska on March 1, 2020, and also became the first Wildcat first-year to lead the team in scoring since Ryan Young with 17 points against Maryland on Feb. 18, 2020.
Barnhizer stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Leach logged 11 points and two assists while knocking down 3-of-7 of his three-point attempts, while Martinelli added double-digit scoring with 10 points and five rebounds.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten), 95-42. The Wildcats have won three of the last four games in the series and are looking to win four of their last five games for the first time since 1975-77. Northwestern defeated Michigan State last year inside Welsh-Ryan Arena 88-74 on January 7 and is looking to win consecutive home games against the Spartans for the first time since 1979-80. Later in the season, the Wildcats fell at Michigan State 53-49 on March 6.
Jaden Akins leads the Spartans in scoring with 13.7 points per game. As a team, Michigan State ranks inside the top 10 in the nation in fastbreak points (19.43, 2nd), bench points per game (38.14, 5th), and rebounding margin (11.0, 7th).
Northwestern will welcome Maryland to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. CT. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network and can be heard on ESPN 1000 WMVP.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballNorthwestern Men's Basketball Cooking Competition
Sunday, July 20
GRITTY AS IT GETS: Brooks Barnhizer Supercut 🎥
Thursday, June 26
Men's Basketball - Chris Collins on B1G Today
Tuesday, April 08
Men's Basketball - Wisconsin Postgame Press Conference (3/13/25)
Thursday, March 13
