Northwestern Men's Basketball vs. Maryland: Prediction, Preview & How to Watch
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The lights at Welsh-Ryan Arena will be shining bright on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. CT. It is because the Northwestern Wildcats return home for their only game of the week against the Maryland Terrapins.
Northwestern enters at 10-16 overall and 2-13 in Big Ten play after a 68-49 road loss to the No. 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Feb. 14. In that contest, the Wildcats forced 18 turnovers, their highest total in a game this season and the most against an AP Top 10 team since Jan. 21, 2009, against the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans. Senior forward Nick Martinelli led the team with 11 points.
Talking About Northwestern's Histories? Nick Martinelli Is Rewriting It
Maryland arrives in Evanston at 10-15 overall and 3-11 in conference play, having won two of its last three games.
‘Cats and Terps this week 😼 pic.twitter.com/v5ppZHqpgV
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) February 17, 2026
For fans watching from home, the game will air on Big Ten Network with Kevin Kugler and Steve Smith on the call. Radio coverage is available on WGN Radio 720 with Dave Eanet and Billy McKinney, and on SiriusXM Channel 210 and 197.
If there is one reason to tune in, it is Nick Martinelli. The senior forward is putting together one of the most dominant seasons in recent Northwestern history. Martinelli leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally in scoring at 22.1 points per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, which ranks ninth in the conference. He also averages 6.4 rebounds per game.
He joins Zach Edey, Keegan Murray, and Luka Garza as the only Big Ten players in the past 30 years to average at least 22 points and six rebounds in a season. That is elite company. With that, Martinelli has 18 games of 20 or more points this season, which leads the Big Ten and is tied for third nationally.
He currently has 1,580 career points, ranking 10th in program history. He needs just two points to pass Vedran Vukusic for ninth and four points to pass Jim Stack for eighth. His 552 points this season rank 10th in school history, and he needs two more to pass Michael "Juice" Thompson for ninth on the single-season list.
The Wildcats rank third nationally with a 1.99 assist-to-turnover ratio and commit just 8.6 turnovers per game, the third-fewest in the country and a program record.
They average 17.1 assists per game, which ranks 36th nationally and is the second-best mark in program history. Their plus-2.6 turnover margin ranks fifth in the Big Ten. They force 11.2 turnovers per game, eighth in the conference, and average 11.6 fast-break points per game, third in the Big Ten.
The Wildcats score 74.0 points per game, their highest average since the 1993-94 season. They have topped 75 points in 14 games and are seeking their 15th such outing. This would be their most since 1993-94, when they had 16.
The Supporting Cast Steps Up
The junior core continues to provide steady production. Jayden Reid averages 10.4 points and 4.9 assists per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten in assists. He is one of six players in the conference with at least 15 games of five or more assists.
Arrinten Page averages 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. The first-year players are also making an impact. Tre Singleton has started 23 games, the most by a Northwestern first-year since 2019-20, and averages 8.1 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Jake West has started the last 10 games and is averaging 6.4 points and 4.3 assists over his past 11 games. His 2.7 assists per game rank fourth among Big Ten first-years and are the highest by a Wildcat freshman since Bryant McIntosh in 2014-15.
The Terrapins average 12.2 offensive rebounds per game, third in the Big Ten, and make 16.3 free throws per game, fifth in the conference. They also average 8.4 three-pointers per game and force 11.0 turnovers per contest.
This is the 21st meeting between the programs. Northwestern has won three of the last four and five of the last eight matchups. The Wildcats are aiming to win four of five against Maryland for the first time in series history. The teams split last season, and on Jan. 16, 2025 at Welsh-Ryan Arena, Martinelli hit a game-winning jumper in overtime to finish with 22 points.
Expect a physical Big Ten battle. Northwestern’s ball security should counter Maryland’s pressure. If Martinelli maintains his scoring pace and the Wildcats reach the 75-point mark, they position themselves well to snap their skid.
After this matchup, Northwestern travels to face the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. CT on FS1 and WGN Radio 720.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.