Martinelli's Game-Winner Sends Northwestern Past Oregon In 63-62 Comeback

Nick Martinelli had made a habit of delivering clutch moments at Welsh-Ryan Arena. On Northwestern's penultimate home game of the season, with 1.8 seconds remaining and Northwestern's season hanging in the balance, the Big Ten's leading scorer did it again — using pristine footwork to create space and rattling home a game-winning floater that lifted the Wildcats past Oregon 63-62.

Northwestern (13-16, 5-13 Big Ten) completed another comeback victory on Saturday, erasing a seven-point second-half deficit to capture its fifth conference win in a memorable triumph. Martinelli's heroics, who replicated his buzzer-beater against Maryland last season, capped a hard-fought battle against Oregon (11-18, 4-14 Big Ten) in the Ducks' first-ever visit to Evanston.

Martinelli dominated with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Jayden Reid was the only one with double-digit scoring behind Martinelli, notching 11 points and seven assists. Arrinten Page contributed nine points, grabbed four rebounds and made three blocks

On the Ducks' side, Nate Bittle led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds. Kwame Evans Jr. and Takai Simpkins posted 15 and 11 points apiece.

Page, who returned to the starting lineup after the team-rule suspension, won the first tip of the game, drawing the first foul through a drive for the first point of the game. He later made a steal and converted the transition into a dunk.

But the Ducks scored six points in the first two minutes, led by Sean Steward’s fastbreak hammer and his delivery to Bittle’s finish. Martinelli and Reid added five points in response to retake the lead. Bittle dominated the glass and scored a tip-in two; Evans Jr. followed up with a triple, leading Northwestern 11-8 before the first timeout.

After minutes of silence, Martinelli breaks the drought with an and-one floater in a transition t tie the score, fed by Jake West. West then connected a dribble jumper. Martinelli missed the second free throw, but the ‘Cats picked up the second chance by Reid down the paint, forcing the Ducks to take a timeout with a two-point lead at 16-14.

Angelo Ciaravino took the flight with a massive block to Evans Jr., leading to Tyler Kropp’s fastbreak finish. Singleton took a hard drive from the baseline and missed the shot, but he banked the second chance in firmly. Northwestern then capitalizes on foul-drawing actions for another four points, ripping off a larger six-point lead.

The Ducks broke the drought with Drew Carter’s contested corner three, edging for a one-point game after Takai Simpkins and Evans Jr.’s four points combined, while the ‘Cats struggled offensively. Bittle’s following and-one layup allowed the Ducks to reclaim the lead at 28-26.

The Ducks rode the momentum after Jamari Phillips' long triple to beat the clock. Simplins followed with a transition dunk after a Page's turnover. West stauched the Northwestern from bleeding with a banking triple, but Bittle responded with another long three from the right wing before the halftime break. NU trailed by 36-29 before the second half.

Oregon created a double-digit lead at the beginning of the second half, but the ‘Cats subsequently launched a 8-0 run. Singleton’s four straight points ignited the rally, following with another four-point prowess by Martineeli and Page. Martinelli then caused a turnover and finished the fastbreak via a second-chance putback. 

Coming back from a timeout, NU again cruised another 7-0 run. Jordan Clayton knocked down a huge three-pointer coming off the bench. Reid and Martinelli added another four points, forcing the Ducks to take another timeout after just a minute. Northwestern led Oregon 48-45 with 11:40 minutes to go.

Wei Lin and Simpkins converted four points for the lead. Ciaravino and Martinelli then stepped up for five straight points for a four-point lead. Reid and Page contributed on defense with key stops, and Martinelli followed with a jumper in the post. Lin edged for a two-point game with seven minutes to go.

Evans Jr. scored an and-one two to rejuvenate Oregon. Reid missed two consecutive three-pointers, and Page covered up with a transition drive in the next possession. Bittle battled downhill for an and-one finish, giving a two-point lead for the Ducks at the 4:37 mark.

In the clutch, Martinelli rose for a strong put-back from his missed shot to tie the score at 59. Ciaravino was injured after a contact and limped off the court, before Reid hit a crunchtime jumper, and Page’s massive defense forced Oregon a shot-clock violation.

Oregon gave Northwestern a final punch and retook the lead at 62-61, as Lin connected a cruntime corner triple in a second chance. In the last minute, Singleton secured a final offensive rebound to keep the possession. Martinelli, under an elevated pressure, found a narrow space via footwork and rattled a huge floater. As Oregon missed a half-court shot with only 1.8 seconds left, the 'Cats survived by one point in another comeback win.