Northwestern's Senior Night Loss to Purdue

0:00On March 5, Northwestern put up a tough fight against 15th ranked Purdue on senior night at a sold out Welsh Ryan Arena, but the Wildcats fell. Short and a 70-60 loss. The Wildcats entered with a 13-17 record overall and 5-14 in the Big 10, while Purdue improved to 23-end. 7-13 in 6 in conference play. Northwestern jumped out strong, leading 34-25 at halftime behind hot shooting and solid defense that forced 9 turnovers. Nick Martinelli paced the Cats with 28 points, and Jaden Reed added 16 in a gritty effort, especially with key injuries forcing lineup changes. The crowd buzzed with energy from mostly Northwestern students and Purdue alumni, creating a heated atmosphere that fueled both teams. It was an emotional night for the seniors, and the Wildcats fed off the home support to keep things close to route. Purdue mounted a comeback in the second half, sparked by CJ. Cox's career-high 27 points on efficient shooting, including 5-3s, plus double-double efforts from Trayc Hoffman-Rin with 11 points and 10.

1:06Re-bounce. The boiler-maker seized control late with clutch-free throws and a key stop. The Wildcats wrap up the regular season Saturday against Minnesota, looking to build momentum heading into the postseason.