Chris Collins’ squad took the purple line downtown to kick off their weekend, reinvigorating a crosstown rivalry that’s been earning its keep in the world of college basketball in the past decade.
Northwestern (4-0) and DePaul (2-2) logged the 39th entry into their 113 year-long history. Although Northwestern entered Friday with a losing record all-time against the Blue Demons, it rode the momentum of a three game win-streak at the start of this season into DePaul’s humble abode of Wintrust Arena.
With two of their toughest games on their non-conference slate awaiting the ‘Cats in Greensboro, it was imperative for them to secure a win in downtown Chicago.
They did just that in a thrilling 81-79 win. Nick Martinelli once again came through in the clutch, hitting two crucial, game-winning free throws in the final moments that gave Northwestern the lead. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and went 7-of-8 from the line.
Arrinten Pages turned in arguably his best game as a college basketball player, posting a career-high 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting. Jayden Reid added 17 points and Tre Singleton dropped in 10.
Northwestern was excellent from the field, hitting 58% and 44% from deep. What kept DePaul in this game was its prowess on the boards, as it out-rebounded the ‘Cats 34-25 and 16-6 on offensive rebounds. It was a back-and-forth affair all night long, with 17 lead changes and 14 ties.
N.J. Benson and the Blue Demons capitalized off their jump-ball win with an emphatic putback jam following a Theo Pierre-Justin miss. Arrinten Page made sure to respond with a dunk of his own.
Pierre-Justin would convert on his second shot attempt — a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line. Page would have another response for Northwestern, sinking a hook shot from inside the paint.
Tre Singleton gave NU its first lead of the night with a three from the top of the key. He wouldn’t be so lucky on a fastbreak layup attempt the next possession, getting stuffed by Layden Blocker on the play.
Blocker evened the score with a three of his own, but the Cincinnati transfer once again nullified DePaul’s efforts with a jumper.
Two free throws from DePaul’s Justin-Pierre evened the score at 9 before Jaylen Reid made his presence felt, using his speed to drive down the left hash for an easy two. Northwestern called timeout with 15:51 left in the period, up by two.
The ‘Cats went a perfect 5-5 from the field before the first break in the action.
Following the timeout, DePaul converted on two free throws after a Justin Mullins foul on Fabian Flores. It took four flips of the possession arrow for the Blue Demons to score again, as C.J. Gunn found an opening to cut backdoor for the go-ahead layup.
Reid’s second field goal of the game put the ‘Cats back in front, 14-13.
Both teams continued to trade scores, lighting up the scoreboard in the first 10 minutes of action — a different game script than what ‘Cats faithful became accustomed to in Northwestern’s previous three outings.
Martinelli nailed two free throws at the 12:23 mark, making the score 18-17. He and Page accounted for over half of Northwestern’s scoring through the first nine minutes.
Brandon Maclin put two on the board for the Blue Demons, but Martinelli matched with a layup to keep the ‘Cats on top. A fresh Page would follow with a layup, then converted two free throws, to bring his first-half total to nine.
Page would continue his dominance in the paint with another hook shot, padding Northwestern’s then-six point lead. He’d be the first to log double figures on the night with his 11th point of the half.
DePaul’s four point swing brought the contest back within one possession. R.J. Smith went 2-for-2 from the line, then intercepted a rare misfire from Reid to give Blocker his second layup of the night.
Reid went 1-for-2 at the line, and Gunn made him pay with a tough three from the right wing and an easy floater to give DePaul its first lead in five minutes.
Reid tried to make up for his error with a two on the other end, but Pierre-Justin found a wide open Benson underneath the rim for a dunk.
A Blocker foul against Martinelli on the floor gave NU a crucial one-and-one to tie the game. The captain converted on both to keep the contest tied, then got himself a layup to join Page in the double-digit scoring club.
Pierre-Justin would have his hand at a one-and-one, but clanked the second of two free throws, putting the first blemish on the Blue Demons’ free throw shooting. Page capitalized on the other end by tipping in a Jake West miss.
Kruz Mcclure sunk two free throws for DePaul on its next possession, but Martinelli once again stung his adversaries for another two points.
Kaleb Banks hit his next four free throws to put DePaul up one with two minutes left in the half. Three charity stripe shots from Mcclure and one more from Benson pushed the lead to five.
Max Green responded with a three, but Smith mirrored the field goal for DePaul on the next possession.
K.J. Windham found nylon to make it back-to-back trey balls for the ‘Cats, cutting the Blue Demon advantage to two just before the half. As the buzzer sounded, Northwestern found itself down 44-42 in Wintrust Arena.
Martinelli tied things up for the ‘Cats with NU’s first shot of the second half, but Blocker immediately made DaPaul’s lead two possessions by converting a four point play.
Page and Martinelli finally took the lead back for the ‘Cats a minute and a half into the period. Page threw down a dunk, then Martinelli sunk his first three on the following play. Page then bullied Benson down low for his next two scores.
Gunn ended the 9-0 Northwestern run with a stepback jumper from the right baseline before the media timeout, but DePaul once again found itself behind the 8-ball, facing a 3 point deficit.
The only score over the next three minutes of play was a Page free throw that brought his total to an even 20. Martinelli ended the scoring drought with a putback layup, but the Blue Demons’ back-to-back scores brought the lead within reach. A triple from Banks gave DePaul a 57-56 lead, forcing Collins to burn a timeout.
Reid went back-and-fourth with DePaul, responding to a Blocker floater with two shots from the free throw line. He then responded to a Mcclure trey with one of his own to keep the differential small. Martinell and Reid followed up with two free throws each, knotting the score at 64 with 9:11 left to play.
The USF transfer then poked the ball away from Gunn, forcing DePaul to foul Ciaravino on the other end. He’d hit one of two free throws, then Tre Singleton followed up with a huge three.
Northwestern’s four point lead became two after a goaltending call against Page. Blocker made the lead one after swishing a free throw.
The ‘Cats won the race to 70 with Page’s 10th field goal of the night, but a lob to Benson down low kept things tight. Justin Mullins went 1-for-2 from the stripe to push things to two before Brandon Maclin’s three gave the Blue Demons a short-lived lead. Martinelli immediately got to work in the post to take Northwestern’s lead back.
Things got treacherous for the ‘Cats inside five minutes. Martinelli’s fourth foul took NU’s leading scorer off the court, then DePaul got a golden opportunity after a traveling call. However, an errant pass was all it took for the critical possession to go up in smoke for the Blue Demons.
Mullins had an opportunity to put the ‘Cats up one at the line, but missed both free throws, leading to a Flores layup on the other end. Singleton muscled his way through contact a few possessions later, making the score 76-75 DePaul with 3:26 left to play. Singleton would do it again a minute later to put the ‘Cats up.
Reid followed up with a layup of his own, but McClure drew contact on a drive right afterwards for a three point play, leveling the score at 79.
A bad pass from Martinelli, and DePaul had a shot to put the dagger in the hearts of ‘Cats fans with a score inside the final minute of regulation. However, Ciaravino came up huge for NU defensively, sending Blocker’s floater in the opposite direction of the rim and into the hands of Page.
Reid was entrusted with facilitating NU’s final possession of regulation, and decided to give himself the chance at the game-winner from mid-range. The ball came off front rim, but Martinelli scooped up his fifth and final rebound of the game, fighting through heavy contact and a DePaul foul to keep possession.
The team captain went to the line with ice in his veins, sinking both shots, despite a timeout inbetween in an attempt to ice the senior.
With 3.5 seconds left, DePaul turned to its point guard in Blocker for the final shot. He’d receive the pass and go blazing down the right sideline, but was swarmed by Singleton upon crossing half-court and forced into throwing up a heave that hit near-side rim and fell short, giving the ‘Cats the win.
The ‘Cats will have a week off before traveling to White Sulfur Springs to take on Virginia next Friday, Nov. 21, at 4 p.m. CT on the CBS Sports Network.
