When junior forward Nick Martinelli sank a game-winning shot to cap off Northwestern’s 77-75 win over USC Tuesday, it wasn’t just the final score that told the story — it was the relentless hustle of a team playing without its star rebounder.
With senior guard Brooks Barnhizer — who averaged 8.8 rebounds per game — sidelined by a season-ending foot injury, the Wildcats (13-10, 4-8 Big Ten) needed to fill the void on the glass.
Enter Martinelli.
Already leading NU in scoring with 19.7 points per game and posting a career-high 5.8 rebounding average, the Glenview, Illinois, native stepped up against the Trojans (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten).
“With Brooks out — he’s a monster on the glass — I knew I had to get back on the glass,” Martinelli said postgame.
In a matchup that marked the team’ first meeting in nearly a quarter century — and their inaugural clash as conference foes — the ’Cats overcame a sluggish first-half shooting performance with dominant rebounding to overcome the Trojans and snap their three-game losing skid.
Despite shooting just 34.2% from the field — compared to USC’s 45.8% — in the game’s opening 20 minutes, NU led 33-31 at the break, thanks to a 26-14 rebounding advantage.
In the first half, NU had more offensive rebounds, 15, than USC’s total number of boards — cashing in the performance for 16 second-chance points.
“We got back to Northwestern values these last couple games with physicality and fight and toughness,” coach Chris Collins said.
While NU’s shots began to fall in the second half, the hosts’ incessant rebounding effort carried them to victory. The ’Cats finished with 43 boards, including a season-high 23 offensive rebounds.
“With Brooks (out), we’re gonna have to win ugly,” Collins said.
While Barnhizer’s absence was felt, Martinelli led the team in his stead, finishing with 27 points and 13 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards — the second-most by a Wildcat since 2006.
With less than two minutes in the game, Martinelli secured his tenth offensive rebound after driving to the rim, missing a shot and scoring the second-chance attempt to put the ’Cats ahead 72-67.
“Nick just won the game tonight with his will,” Collins said. “He took (Barnhizer’s injury) really hard.”
Junior guard Justin Mullins trailed Martinelli with seven rebounds. He also tallied 14 points — his most in two seasons at NU.
Collins said Mullins matched USC’s physical wings well and injected energy on the floor.
“Everybody had to step up, and I just tried to do my part,” Mullins said. “It worked for me tonight.”
Graduate student guard Ty Berry started quickly with nine first-half points and five boards but couldn’t carry that momentum after the break. He was held to zero points and one rebound in the final 20 minutes.
USC coach Eric Musselman said he aims not to concede more than nine offensive rebounds to any opponent. The ’Cats had over double that total.
“If a team has 23 offensive rebounds and you have 27 total rebounds, you’re not going to win a game,” Musselman said. “It’s a miracle that it was a one-possession and two-point game.”
Following the win, NU will begin its first Big Ten Pacific Northwest road trip with a Saturday showdown at Washington.
Email: kamrannia2027@u.northwestern.edu
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