Wildcats refuse to back down in 68-61 win at Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md.-The Wildcats just don't quit.
Yet another curveball was thrown their way with an ankle injury to starting guard Ryan Langborg, but Northwestern didn't flinch, delving deep into their roster to pick up yet another win against all odds.
The Wildcats went on the road to Maryland and picked up a hard-fought 68-61 win behind a career-high 27 points from sophomore forward Nick Martinelli, who outscored his projected All-Big Ten teammates, Boo Buie and Brooks Barnhizer, who combined for 26.
Walkon Blake Smith also played a key role, contributing six points, five rebounds and an assist in his first career start.
"This was an enormous win for us," head coach Chris Collins said. "Lot of adversity coming in not having Ty [Berry], not having Ryan tonight...
"It's a testament to the guys sitting here and everybody in our locker room. There's a competitive spirit that our guys have. They weren't going to come here, and if we lost we'd have lost, but we weren't just going to show up, take our loss and go home."
Collins said Langborg sprained his ankle in last Thursday's win over Michigan, and the hope is for him to return for Iowa on March 2, but the injury is truly day-to-day.
Here are our takeaways from the unorthodox win in College Park that improved Northwestern's record to 20-8 (11-6 Big Ten):
Martinelli put the team on his back: With Langborg and Berry sidelined, Maryland threw the kitchen sink at Buie and Barnhizer. The star guards finished with the aforementioned 26 points, but on 6-for-19 combined shooting. There just wasn't anything there, and those two can only put on their capes so many times this season.
Enter the newest hero in Martinelli, who shed the Robin role to become the team's Batman when they needed it most. He repeatedly bullied and barged his way to the rim, knocking aside defenders and knocking down a quirky arsenal of hooks, flips and, of course, free throws.
He finished 9-for-14 from the field and 9-for-10 from the line, meaning anytime he put the ball in the air without a foul it had a 75% chance of dropping through the net.
If Martinelli didn't have the best game of his career, outscoring his previous career-high by 5 and his previous Big Ten career-high by 12, the Wildcats wouldn't have won this one, plain and simple.
With three Big Ten games left, uncertainty around Langborg's health and a contentious conference race, who knows where Northwestern would be after a loss tonight? Thanks to Martinelli, they'll never have to know.
It wasn't all gravy for the sophomore forward, through. Collins made sure to needle him about his alma mater, Glenbrook North, defeating Martinelli's, Glenbrook South, in an IHSA sectional semifinal.
"We went to rival high schools," Collins said. "They played last night and Glenbrook North won. Told him I'd say that in the press conference."
Martinelli was typically humble, shrugging off his coach's jab. His humility was even more evident deflecting credit for the game away from his 27 points to the other unlikely hero of the night.
"I didn't have a certain play where I was like 'Dang, I'm going to score a lot of points.'" Martinelli said. "I know for our team, the biggest play was Blake Smith's offensive rebound and and-1. Our energy elevated so much."
Take a bow, Blake Smith: It wasn't just a career night for Martinelli. Smith set personal records in points and minutes, as well. Having burned his redshirt three weeks ago to make an emergency contribution after Berry's injury, the injury to Langborg thrust him into his first career start.
He played 27 minutes and scored six points, less glamorous than Martinelli's but triple his season total and necessary in a tight win on the road. Plus, he played dogged defense on Jahmir Young, who led the Terps with 24 points, but finished 6-for-14 from the field and 1-for-6 from three.
"What do you want to say about Blake?" Collins said. "We came into the year wanting to redshirt him... I told him we could use him and he said 'Coach, I'm ready.' For him to start, not only start but to chase Jahmir around...tremendous performance."
Smith admitted he maybe didn't see this in the cards when he started the season set to sit it out start to finish.
"I didn't," he said with a laugh. "But we've talked about next man up mentality. No one can replace what Ty and Ryan do, especially offensively and shooting the ball. But I knew I had to just come in, play hard and try to do the little stuff to help us."
Martinelli isn't exaggerating for effect either. Smith's and-1 very well might have swung the game. Northwestern led the entire second half but the tightest it got was 44-42 with 9:44 left in the game, after Maryland went on an 8-0 run.
Barnhizer missed a three trying to answer and, in a flash, there was Smith. He leapt from the baseline, snagged the offensive board, went back up, got the hoop and the foul. The Northwestern bench nearly stormed the court, and he knocked down the free throw as a cherry on top.
"I thought it was a big stretch. They got it to two, they were making a push to add momentum and then these two guys," Collins said, gesturing to Smith and Martinelli next to him. "They made huge plays."
The Terrapins never got within two points again.
Wildcats keep making history: Northwestern have won 20 games in a season for the sixth time in program history, and the fourth time under Collins. They have 11 Big Ten wins with three games to play, one win away from tying the program record of 12 that they set last season, and two away from setting a new one. It's the first time the Wildcats have swept Maryland.
It's not just that they're making history, it's how they're doing it. Everyone's heart sank with Berry's injury, and again seeing Langborg on the sideline in a brace before the game tonight. But this team just keeps battling, time and time again. Their newly minted core trio of Buie, Barnhizer and Martinelli played 39 minutes a piece.
Collins is loathe to compare teams but even he had to take a moment to recognize the way this team has persevered this season.
"Probably not," he said on if he's had a group respond to adversity at this level. "Every team is its own journey, and it's been an absolute joy with this team. Probably as close-knit of a team as I've had.
"Top to bottom, one through 15, the guys on the roster, even the managers, everyone hangs out. There's such a good vibe, and it carries out in the way they play."
Collins, seemingly against his own will, testified to his team's tournament qualifications. With just three regular season games remaining, his team is now in sole ownership of third place in conference, a game up on Wisconsin and Nebraska.
"I'm not a metrics guy," Collins said. "Someone told me it was a Quad 1 win, whatever that means. I think we're a good team.
"We're still pushing, we have three games left. We're not even talking about tournament. But, if you ask me, does our body of work represent a team that should have a chance to compete there? I'd would say yes, but obviously I'm biased."
After years of asking for patience, Collins is starting to push this team and its agenda forward. On the precipice of taking the team to the NCAA Tournament twice in a row for the first time ever, he testified that the achievement is indicative of the culture he and the team have created.
"I think we're starting to get to the point where our program, we're on the road, the other team makes a run and the crowd starts to get into it, I never felt like our guys felt like they weren't going to win," he said. "I talked about that a lot. We're trying to build a program. We're certainly nowhere near the level of tradition of Maryland, but we're trying to build something at Northwestern.
"When you build a winning culture, when you're in games like this, you believe you're supposed to win. And I sensed that tonight no matter who was on the floor."
The Wildcats, winners of five of their last six, are starting to feel more and more like a team of destiny. You could see it the moment the buzzer sounded, when Barnhizer let loose a yell of triumph and Buie immediately went to hype up Martinelli.
This team is playing some of its best basketball late in the season through unexpected adversity. After the 2022-23 team put it all together last season, it felt like Northwestern had reached the mountaintop.
After Wednesday night in Maryland, it appears that may have been a false summit.