Northwestern's Nick Martinelli, Chris Collins Talk Surprise Big Ten Run, Purdue Clash
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Two-time All-Big Ten Team Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli submitted his second straight superlative game of the ongoing Big Ten Conference Tournament on Wednesday, scoring 28 points to power the program to a happy 74-61 upset of the No. 10-seeded Indiana Hoosiers.
Nothing was guaranteed for the No. 15-seeded Wildcats, who actually entered the half trailing Indiana by a point, 37-36.
“When you come into the locker room (at halftime) and know this could be your last 20 minutes with this jersey on, and all the work you’ve put in with these coaches and players, you just can’t let that slip,” Martinelli remarked, per Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. “We’ve let it slip too much this year. Obviously we have an opportunity (Thursday). I don’t know how we’re even going to be able to sleep tonight we’re so excited.”
The Wildcats turned things around over the second half, outscoring the Hoosiers 38-24 to run away with the edge late.
Northwestern now advances to the third round of the Tournament, where the club will square off against the No. 7 seed, Purdue. The Wildcats will be at a bit of a size disadvantage against the 23-8 Boilermakers: transfer center Arrinten Page missed the Indiana clash due to an illness, and is expected to sit out again Wednesday.
“I know we’re going to fight,” coach Chris Collins remarked in previewing the Purdue matchup, per Sullivan. “I can’t promise what the result is going to be, but I know our guys are going to give everything these next 24 hours to get ready for Purdue.”
The action tips off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the United Center and on the Big Ten 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.