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Northwestern Wildcats Falls to Purdue in Big Ten Tournament
Season ends for Wildcats after loss to Boilermakers
Mar. 13, 2026 at 7:09am
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The Northwestern Wildcats' season came to an end on Tuesday night as they fell to the Purdue Boilermakers 81-68 in the Big Ten Tournament. Purdue jumped out to a big early lead, building a 45-21 advantage by halftime. Despite a strong second-half effort from the Wildcats, they were unable to overcome the deficit. Senior forward Nick Martinelli led Northwestern with a game-high 25 points in his final collegiate game.
Why it matters
The loss ends a challenging season for the Wildcats, who struggled to find consistency throughout the year after reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and 2024. The team's younger players showed promise late in the season, but ultimately they were unable to overcome the early deficit against a talented Purdue squad.
The details
Purdue jumped out to a 31-13 lead early in the game and stretched that advantage to 45-21 by halftime. Northwestern fought back in the second half, outscoring Purdue 47-36, but it wasn't enough to overcome the large deficit. Martinelli had a standout performance in his final game, scoring 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Junior guard Jayden Reid also contributed 19 points and a team-high 9 assists for the Wildcats.
- The Big Ten Tournament matchup between Northwestern and Purdue took place on Tuesday, March 13, 2026.
The players
Nick Martinelli
A senior forward for the Northwestern Wildcats who finished his collegiate career with a game-high 25 points in the loss to Purdue.
Chris Collins
The head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats basketball team.
Oscar Cluff
The center for the Purdue Boilermakers who led his team with 19 points.
Trey Kaufman-Renn
A forward for the Purdue Boilermakers who also scored 19 points in the win.
Jayden Reid
A junior guard for the Northwestern Wildcats who scored 19 points and dished out a team-high 9 assists in the loss.
What they’re saying
“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”
— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)
The takeaway
This loss marks the end of a challenging season for the Northwestern Wildcats, who struggled to find consistency after making the NCAA Tournament in the previous two years. However, the strong second-half performance and contributions from younger players like Jayden Reid provide hope that the program is headed in the right direction, even if this season ultimately fell short of expectations.
