Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers Men's Basketball Edges Northwestern in Overtime to Secure Second Big Ten Win

Overtime Drama Ends With Rutgers Men's Basketball Knocking Off Northwestern
Shayni Maitra|
Jan 11, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Tariq Francis (0) goes to the basket against the Northwestern Wildcats during overtime at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jan 11, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Tariq Francis (0) goes to the basket against the Northwestern Wildcats during overtime at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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There is a growing calm inside Jersey Mike’s Arena when games refuse to end in regulation. For the second straight home contest, Rutgers men’s basketball was pushed into overtime, and for the second straight time, the Scarlet Knights showed they are built for those tense moments. On Sunday, Rutgers outlasted Northwestern 77-75 in a hard-fought overtime battle, earning its second Big Ten win of the season.

Rutgers Men's Basketball Battling the Big Ten’s Top Scorer

The victory moved Rutgers to 9-8 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Meanwhile, Northwestern fell to 8-8 and remains winless in the Big Ten at 0-5.

Northwestern junior Nick Martinelli poured in 34 points. That included 11 during an early 18-7 Northwestern surge that threatened to put the Scarlet Knights in a deep hole.

Despite Martinelli’s offensive explosion, Rutgers stayed afloat behind junior guard Tariq Francis. Francis delivered one of the best performances of his career, scoring 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting. He knocked down 2-of-4 shots from beyond the arc and was nearly perfect at the free-throw line, going 8-of-9.

While Francis carried the scoring load, the heartbeat of the win belonged to Darren Buchanan Jr. Inserted into the starting lineup with sophomore forward Dylan Grant sidelined by the flu, Buchanan Jr. also benefited from a lineup adjustment. And that saw sophomore Bryce Dortch make his first career start in place of senior center Emmanuel Ogbole.

Buchanan Jr. shook off early defensive struggles against Martinelli and delivered his most complete performance of the season. He finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, added two steals, and made the defensive play of the game with a game-winning block as overtime expired.

After falling behind by 11 points, Rutgers closed the first half on a 10-2 run to trail just 35-33 at halftime. The defensive effort tightened significantly, forcing Northwestern to miss four of its final five shots before the break. The Wildcats’ star endured an eight-minute scoring drought as the Scarlet Knights increased their defensive pressure.

Rutgers Rallies Before the Break

Freshman Kaden Powers and junior Jamichael Davis drilled back-to-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to one. Moments later, Buchanan Jr. found Ogbole for a powerful dunk, giving Rutgers its first lead of the game at 42-41.

From there, the game turned into a classic Big Ten grind. The lead changed hands multiple times before Northwestern went on a 7-0 run to take a 52-47 advantage with just over ten minutes remaining.

In the final minute of regulation, Rutgers trailed 65-64 when Francis calmly knocked down two free throws to give the Scarlet Knights the lead. Martinelli answered with a jumper, but Buchanan Jr. split a pair at the line to send the game to overtime tied at 67.

In the extra period, Rutgers seized control. After Martinelli opened overtime with a basket, the Scarlet Knights rattled off a decisive 7-0 run to go ahead 74-69. Northwestern made one last push, but Francis iced the game with two more clutch free throws.

With confidence growing and another overtime win secured, Rutgers heads on the road to face Wisconsin on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

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Shayni Maitra
SHAYNI MAITRA

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.

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