Northwestern Defeats Minnesota in Big Ten Tournament Opener

The 'Cats are moving on in the conference tournament.

Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Jordan Clayton (11) shoots the ball while Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Femi Odukale (11) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

For the first time since 2022, the Wildcats have won a Big Ten Tournament game.

No. 13 seed Northwestern (17-15, 7-13 Big Ten) defeated No. 12 Minnesota, 72-64, in Wednesday's first round of the 2025 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. It was nearly a wire-to-wire win as Minnesota (15-17, 7-13 Big Ten) led for just 32 seconds.

NU will advance to face No. 5 seed Wisconsin on Thursday. The Badgers won by six the last time the two teams played on February 1.

The Wildcats used a 10-0 run at the start of the second half to pull away from the Gophers. Northwestern's stifling defense held Minnesota to just 32.3% from the field in the second half, handing the Golden Gophers their fifth loss in the last six games.

Second-Team All-Big Ten forward Nick Martinelli totaled 28 points and seven rebounds to lead the 'Cats, sitting for just 27 seconds in the win. The junior is now just seven points shy of Northwestern great John Shurna's single-season points record, which came in the 2011-12 season.

Martinelli, like Shurna in 2012, led the Big Ten in scoring. He is one of just four Wildcats ever to do so.

Graduate student guard Ty Berry struggled in the first half with just a 1-of-7 shooting clip, but made a trio of threes in the second to finish with 14 points. Sophomore point guard Jordan Clayton set a career-high with 11 points.

Northwestern's second-half lead ballooned to as much as 15 with under five minutes to go, but the Wildcats' poor free throw shooting gave Minnesota some late life. The 'Cats were just 12-of-22 from the line overall, including 9-of-17 in the second half.

The last time Northwestern won multiple Big Ten Tournament games was in 2017, when the 'Cats made the semifinals en route to the program's first March Madness berth. NU will play Wisconsin in the second game on Thursday, set to tip 30 minutes after the finish of Indiana vs. Oregon.