Nick Martinelli scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half and Jake West added 16 points as visiting Northwestern rallied for a 72-68 Big Ten victory against Indiana on Tuesday in Bloomington, Ind.
Martinelli helped Northwestern (12-16, 4-13 Big Ten) win back-to-back conference games for the first time this season, as the league’s leading scorer provided multiple clutch baskets down the stretch.
West showed poise of his own. The freshman point guard hit a pair of free throws with 14.5 seconds left to put the Wildcats ahead by three after Indiana’s Sam Alexis split two free throws moments earlier with a chance to tie the game.
The Hoosiers drew within a point on Tayton Conerway’s dunk before Northwestern sealed the game from the foul line. West hit another pair with 8.4 seconds left, then Arrinten Page added a free throw following Tucker DeVries’ errant game-tying 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to go.
Indiana (17-11, 8-9) lost for the third straight game. The Hoosiers, who built a 42-33 halftime lead on the strength of 62.5% marksmanship, slumped to 30.8% shooting after halftime while missing 11 successive shots during one stretch.
Lamar Wilkerson paced Indiana with 18 points and five rebounds. Conerway (14 points), Alexis (13) and DeVries (11) followed in double figures.
Martinelli hit a stepback jumper with 5:05 remaining to put the Wildcats ahead 61-60, their first lead since 9-8. Wilkerson gave the Hoosiers the advantage again on the ensuing possession, swishing a pair of free throws for his first points since the 11:37 mark of the first half.
With Indiana in the middle of a field goal drought that lasted 9:33, Martinelli struck again with a go-ahead corner 3-pointer with 2:59 remaining in the game. His jumper off a Tre Singleton offensive rebound with 1:44 left extended the Northwestern edge to four.
Page had 10 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats. Singleton grabbed a game-high eight boards.
Sparked by Wilkerson’s strong start from the floor, Indiana led by as many as 13 points in the first half before taking a 42-33 advantage into the break.
Wilkerson knocked down each of his first five field-goal attempts, including all four from long range, as he scored 14 points in the opening 8:23 to build a 20-13 lead. The Hoosiers hit 8 of 16 3-point attempts in the first half and 50% from beyond the arc.
Northwestern extended its series winning streak to six games.
