How to Watch Northwestern Men's Basketball vs Oregon: Preview, Predictions, TV Channel
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Could the surging Northwestern Wildcats string together their third straight win, with a home tilt against the Oregon Ducks?
Oregon, too, is in the midst of a two-game win streak. They've also won three of their last four, after having dropped 10 straight midseason.
In a shocker, the Ducks went on a 7-0 run in the waning 59 seconds to beat the USC Trojans on the road last weekend, 71-70, behind 21 points from Kwame Evans Jr., while the club walloped Wisconsin 85-71 on Wednesday behind 20 points from Nate Bittle and 17 from Takai Simpkins.
Both clubs are on the periphery of the Big Ten Tournament right now. The Wildcats are currently the No. 14 seed in the conference, and thus would make the cut today. Oregon is No. 16. Both have identical Big Ten records of 4-13. So this game could go a long way towards determining their respective fates.
Game Preview
Ducks center Bittle has been the team's standout player this season. The 7-foot senior has been averaging 16.9 points on .457/.337/.738 shooting splits, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.0 blocks and 0.9 steals a night — and leading Oregon in scoring, rebounding and blocks.
Northwestern has been struggling to establish much of a rhythm all year, as head coach Chris Collins has been shuffling around his starting lineups.
After pulling off narrow victories against Big Ten nemeses Maryland and Indiana, It does seem that Collins' preferred new first five of forwards Tre Singleton, Tyler Kropp and Nick Martinelli, with Jake West and Jake Reid in the backcourt, has been relatively effective. Junior transfer center Arrinten Page provides true size off the bench as the club's sixth man.
Northwestern X-Factors
How will Collins defend Bittle? Will he lean on Page mor than usual? Will Singleton and Kropp be toggled against him?
Oregon was red-hot against Wisconsin, connecting on 52 percent of their overall field goals — but a whopping 71 percent in the second half. The Wildcats will need to close out on the Ducks' shooters.
Finally, on Nick Martinelli Bobblehead Night, it's important to shout out the 6-foot-7 senior swingman who's fighting for his second straight All-Big Ten season and perhaps even more end-of-year honors, even if his team will miss the Big Dance.
Nick Martinelli Bobblehead 🤌
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) February 26, 2026
Saturday vs. Oregon at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Arrive early to grab yours, while supplies last.
🎟️ https://t.co/fDgfrDMqxl pic.twitter.com/UMn9Dq5nS1
Across 27 contests this season, Martinelli has been averaging 22.6 points on .505/.432/.808 shooting splits, 6.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists a night. Should he approach those numbers again, the Wildcats have a pretty good shot.
Prediction
The Wildcats will actually prevail in a semi-must-win Big Ten matchup.
Final Score Prediction: Northwestern 70, Oregon 66.
How to Watch, Listen
- Matchup: Northwestern (12-16, 4-13 B1G) vs Oregon (11-17, 4-13 B1G)
- When: Saturday, February 28
- Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
- Time: 1 p.m. CST
- Watch: Big Ten Network (TV)
- Listen: WGN Radio 720 AM, SiriusXM Channel 388, The Varsity Network
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An Evanston native, Alex Kirschenbaum is also a proud Northwestern alum. He has written for Bleacher Nation, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Hoops Rumors, Trailers From Hell, Men's Journal, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others. Alex knows Zach Collins has given the Bulls some good years, but he'll never forgive the then-Gonzaga center for that very obvious goaltend against the Wildcats during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.