Maryland Men's Basketball Faces Northwestern in Big Ten Matchup

Terps look to bounce back from tough loss to Rutgers as they take on struggling Wildcats

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The Maryland men's basketball team will travel to Evanston, Illinois to take on Northwestern in a Big Ten conference matchup. The Terps are coming off a tough 68-57 loss to Rutgers, while the Wildcats have struggled with inconsistent play this season. Maryland will look to get back on track against a Northwestern team that has a 2-13 conference record.

Why it matters

This game is an important one for Maryland as they try to climb up the Big Ten standings. A win would help the Terps stay ahead of the bottom teams in the conference and improve their chances of making the Big Ten Tournament next month.

The details

Maryland (10-15, 3-11 Big Ten) is led by forward Solomon Washington, who is coming off an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double against Rutgers. The Terps will need to slow down Northwestern's leading scorer, forward Nick Martinelli, who is averaging 22.1 points per game. Maryland has had success against the Wildcats historically, leading the all-time series 13-7.

  • The game will be played on Wednesday, February 17th, 2026.
  • Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT).

The players

Nick Martinelli

The 20+ point per game Wildcat forward has been a consistent scoring threat for Northwestern this season, shooting 43% from 3-point range.

Solomon Washington

The Maryland forward is the energy leader for the Terps, crashing the boards, contesting shots, and bringing physical intensity.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game is an important one for Maryland as they try to improve their standing in the Big Ten and position themselves for the conference tournament. A win over the struggling Wildcats would be a step in the right direction for the Terps.