Wildcats' comeback falls short at Minnesota, 67-66, in regular season finale

Northwestern erased a 16-point deficit to take a late lead but couldn't complete the comeback against the Gophers.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Wildcats came roaring back from an 18-2 opening deficit to take the lead in the final minute, only to let it slip through their fingers in a 67-66 loss at Minnesota on Saturday night. Nick Martinelli led all scorers with 23 points but missed the front end of a one-and-one with 19 seconds left and a one-point lead, and then missed a 3-pointer with three seconds left while trailing by one that would have been the game-winner.

Why it matters

This loss leaves Northwestern with a final regular season record of 13-18 (5-15 Big Ten), their worst overall record since 2020-21. The Wildcats will now play in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, likely against last-place Penn State, in a must-win situation.

The details

Martinelli broke the Northwestern single-season scoring record he set last year, finishing the season with 682 points. He will also almost certainly become the first player in Northwestern history to lead the Big Ten in scoring two years in a row. Freshman guard Jake West and freshman forward Tre Singleton were phenomenal in the second half, with West hitting three big 3s and Singleton stuffing the stat sheet with eight points, four rebounds and four assists.

  • The game was played on Saturday night, March 8, 2026, at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.
  • Martinelli missed the front end of a one-and-one with 19 seconds left and a one-point lead.
  • Martinelli missed a 3-pointer with three seconds left while trailing by one that would have been the game-winner.

The players

Nick Martinelli

A senior guard who led all scorers with 23 points and broke the Northwestern single-season scoring record he set last year, finishing the season with 682 points. He will almost certainly become the first player in Northwestern history to lead the Big Ten in scoring two years in a row.

Chris Collins

The head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats, who has had a close relationship with Martinelli over the years.

Jake West

A freshman guard for the Wildcats who hit three big 3-pointers in the second half.

Tre Singleton

A freshman forward for the Wildcats who stepped up as the small-ball center, scoring eight points with four rebounds and four assists in the second half.

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What they’re saying

“We wanted to get him the ball right where he got it. We told him to bring us home, just like he's done a lot of times. … He's won a lot of games for us, it just didn't go down.”

— Chris Collins, Head Coach

“I saw him back off a little bit and I felt like the shot was right on line. I thought I hit it, then it went back rim. I should have made the free throw a couple plays earlier and we wouldn't have had any problems. But that's just life. That's life, that's hoops.”

— Nick Martinelli

“He's like a second father to me. … Tonight, I choked the game for us. And I know tomorrow at practice he'll put the ball in my hands the first time we get to live [play]. That's the type of relationship we have.”

— Nick Martinelli

“[The end of his career is] bittersweet. I love the guy… We're going to be friends forever, we're going to be family for life. … I'm just sad I won't get a chance to call plays for him, set up those isolations. He's going to moving on to the professional ranks. … I couldn't be more proud of him and everything he has accomplished and earned.”

— Chris Collins, Head Coach

What’s next

The Wildcats will play in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday, likely against last-place Penn State. Every game the rest of the way for them is win or go home.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the growing pains of a young Northwestern team that has endured a tough season, but the experience gained by players like Jake West and Tre Singleton could pay dividends in the future as the Wildcats look to build on this foundation and return to the NCAA Tournament.