Northwestern's Martinelli Heroics Secure Crucial Win

0:00On March 1st, Northwestern pulled off a dramatic 63-62 victory over Oregon thanks to senior Nick Martinelli's clutch hook shot. With 8.6 seconds left, it was his bobblehead day at Welsh Ryan Arena, and he delivered when the Wildcats needed him most, nearly posting a triple double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. The game flipped in the second half after Northwestern trailed by 12 points late in the first. They clamped down on defense, holding Oregon to just 26 points after the break, and capitalizing on 16 turnovers for a 20-to-2 edge, in fast break scoring. Coach Chris Collins rallied the team at halftime with a simple message to go take the win, sparking their third straight victory after a tough stretch of losses. Martinelli's will to compete has stood out in this challenging final season for the senior. This win locks in a key tiebreaker over Oregon, heading into the big 10 tournament, where every team plays, but the bottom seeds face a grueling 6.

1:02Straight days starting March 10th, Northwestern sits at 5 and 13 in conference, just above the playing group. With Oregon still having games left, that edge could prove huge in Chicago, giving the Wildcats a shot at some rest in momentum as they chase A, deeper, turn them in run.