Sunday, January 19
Ann Arbor, Mich.
1 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
#20 Michigan
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Wildcats Set for Sunday Matinee at No. 20 Michigan
1/18/2025 1:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Coming off a dramatic home victory, Northwestern men's basketball will hit the road and play its fourth ranked opponent this season when it travels to face No. 20 Michigan at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, Jan. 19. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Jordan Taylor (analyst) on the call and WGN Radio 720 with Andy Masur (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
Last time out, junior Nick Martinelli's game-winning buzzer-beater in overtime solidified a 76-74 win for the Wildcats (11-6, 2-4 Big Ten) over Maryland on Thursday (Jan. 16) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Graduate student Jalen Leach inbounded the ball with 0.7 seconds left to Martinelli who ran off a curl and drained the jump shot to give Northwestern its first game-winner as time expired since "The Pass" from Nathan Taphorn to Dererk Pardon to beat Michigan on March 1, 2017.
Northwestern improved to 3-0 in overtime this season, and dating back to last season, has won four straight in extra time.
Martinelli posted a team-high 22 points (9-of-14) with three rebounds and three assists. The Glenview, Ill. native has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games, and reached double-figures in all but one game this season.
Senior Brooks Barnhizer stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks, marking his eighth double-double in his last 10 games. Barnhizer recorded his fifth 20+ point, 10+ rebound, and 5+ assist game of the season, which leads the nation. Barnhizer surpassed the 1,000 point career mark in the second half, becoming the 42nd Wildcat to reach the milestone.
First-year Angelo Ciaravino made his first career start, becoming the first Northwestern first-year to start a Big Ten game since Julian Roper on March 6, 2022, against Minnesota. Coming off the bench for the first time since his sophomore season, Ty Berry logged 15 points, canning 3-of-8 threes, alongside three rebounds. Berry logged his third 15+ point game of the season and the 17th of his career.
Defensively, the Wildcats tied their season-high swatting seven shots, their most in a Big Ten game since Feb. 15, 2024, at Rutgers (8). Sixth-year Kennan Fitzmorris posted a season and game-high three rejections.
Barnhizer is averaging 18.2 points (7th in B1G), 9.4 rebounds (3rd), 4.4 assists (6th), 2.4 steals (1st) and 1.4 blocks (8th) per game this season. The duo of Martinelli (20.0) and Barnhizer (18.2) are one of two sets of high-major teammates in the country each averaging over 18 points per game this season. Both are averaging 18+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something only ten other high-major players are doing.
Martinelli is second in the conference in scoring and ranks 15th nationally while shooting 51.2% from the floor, which places 10th in the conference. He ranks third in the country in scoring by a forward, trailing Eric Dixon (24.8, Villanova) and Maxime Raynaud (20.5, Stanford). Martinelli is one of three high-major players averaging 20+ points per game and 5+ rebounds per game. Martinelli has registered nine games of 20+ points this season, the most in a season by a Northwestern forward since John Shurna posted 18 such games in 2011-12. The last Wildcat to average 20+ points per game was Shurna (20.0) in 2011-12.
Leach is third on the team in scoring averaging 13.4 points per game. Against Maryland, he registered six assists to just one turnover.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 10.0 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten, and ranks 21st fewest nationally.
Northwestern's defense is allowing an average of 67.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. According to KenPom, Northwestern's defense ranks 26th nationally in adjusted efficiency and 48th in steal percentage.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Wolverines (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten), 119-60. The Wildcats have not won on the road at Michigan since 2010. Northwestern is looking for a road win over a ranked Michigan team for the first time since a 74-70 triumph over then-No. 18 Michigan on Feb. 21, 1981. The 'Cats won last year's meeting 76-62 on Feb. 22, 2024, in Evanston as Boo Buie broke the school's career scoring record.
The Wolverines (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten) are coming off a loss at the horn at Minnesota (84-81) in overtime on Thursday night which snapped a five-game winning streak. The Wolverines have three players scoring at least 12 points per game in Vladislav Goldin (15.6 points per game), Danny Wolf (13.0) and Tre Donaldon (12.7). Wolf leads the Big Ten averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. Michigan is shooting a nation-leading 51.5% from the field this season.
The Wildcat return to Welsh-Ryan Arena to host Indiana on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
Last time out, junior Nick Martinelli's game-winning buzzer-beater in overtime solidified a 76-74 win for the Wildcats (11-6, 2-4 Big Ten) over Maryland on Thursday (Jan. 16) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Graduate student Jalen Leach inbounded the ball with 0.7 seconds left to Martinelli who ran off a curl and drained the jump shot to give Northwestern its first game-winner as time expired since "The Pass" from Nathan Taphorn to Dererk Pardon to beat Michigan on March 1, 2017.
Northwestern improved to 3-0 in overtime this season, and dating back to last season, has won four straight in extra time.
Martinelli posted a team-high 22 points (9-of-14) with three rebounds and three assists. The Glenview, Ill. native has scored 20+ points in back-to-back games, and reached double-figures in all but one game this season.
Senior Brooks Barnhizer stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks, marking his eighth double-double in his last 10 games. Barnhizer recorded his fifth 20+ point, 10+ rebound, and 5+ assist game of the season, which leads the nation. Barnhizer surpassed the 1,000 point career mark in the second half, becoming the 42nd Wildcat to reach the milestone.
First-year Angelo Ciaravino made his first career start, becoming the first Northwestern first-year to start a Big Ten game since Julian Roper on March 6, 2022, against Minnesota. Coming off the bench for the first time since his sophomore season, Ty Berry logged 15 points, canning 3-of-8 threes, alongside three rebounds. Berry logged his third 15+ point game of the season and the 17th of his career.
Defensively, the Wildcats tied their season-high swatting seven shots, their most in a Big Ten game since Feb. 15, 2024, at Rutgers (8). Sixth-year Kennan Fitzmorris posted a season and game-high three rejections.
Barnhizer is averaging 18.2 points (7th in B1G), 9.4 rebounds (3rd), 4.4 assists (6th), 2.4 steals (1st) and 1.4 blocks (8th) per game this season. The duo of Martinelli (20.0) and Barnhizer (18.2) are one of two sets of high-major teammates in the country each averaging over 18 points per game this season. Both are averaging 18+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something only ten other high-major players are doing.
Martinelli is second in the conference in scoring and ranks 15th nationally while shooting 51.2% from the floor, which places 10th in the conference. He ranks third in the country in scoring by a forward, trailing Eric Dixon (24.8, Villanova) and Maxime Raynaud (20.5, Stanford). Martinelli is one of three high-major players averaging 20+ points per game and 5+ rebounds per game. Martinelli has registered nine games of 20+ points this season, the most in a season by a Northwestern forward since John Shurna posted 18 such games in 2011-12. The last Wildcat to average 20+ points per game was Shurna (20.0) in 2011-12.
Leach is third on the team in scoring averaging 13.4 points per game. Against Maryland, he registered six assists to just one turnover.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 10.0 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten, and ranks 21st fewest nationally.
Northwestern's defense is allowing an average of 67.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. According to KenPom, Northwestern's defense ranks 26th nationally in adjusted efficiency and 48th in steal percentage.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Wolverines (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten), 119-60. The Wildcats have not won on the road at Michigan since 2010. Northwestern is looking for a road win over a ranked Michigan team for the first time since a 74-70 triumph over then-No. 18 Michigan on Feb. 21, 1981. The 'Cats won last year's meeting 76-62 on Feb. 22, 2024, in Evanston as Boo Buie broke the school's career scoring record.
The Wolverines (13-4, 5-1 Big Ten) are coming off a loss at the horn at Minnesota (84-81) in overtime on Thursday night which snapped a five-game winning streak. The Wolverines have three players scoring at least 12 points per game in Vladislav Goldin (15.6 points per game), Danny Wolf (13.0) and Tre Donaldon (12.7). Wolf leads the Big Ten averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. Michigan is shooting a nation-leading 51.5% from the field this season.
The Wildcat return to Welsh-Ryan Arena to host Indiana on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air on Big Ten Network and WGN Radio 720.
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