As Northwestern faces a tough test against No. 13 Illinois at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday, coach Chris Collins is emphasizing 40 minutes of grit.
“If we are not a team that’s playing with a blue-collar desperation in this game, then we are not going to have a chance,” Collins said. “I know our guys are going to fight.”
After dropping its fifth conference game in an excruciating overtime loss to Rutgers 77-75, the Wildcats (8-8, 0-5 Big Ten) are still searching for their first conference win.
Despite the NCAA’s Division I leading scorer and senior forward Nick Martinelli scoring a career-high 34 points, NU couldn’t fend off the Scarlet Knights. When Illinois faced Rutgers last week, the Fighting Illini took care of business, winning by 26 points at home.
The losing streak has been devastating for Martinelli, but he said he has maintained his focus on what is in front of him.
“It doesn’t matter how many games we lose in a row,” Martinelli said. “I’m going to continue to come here with the same mindset and drive to win the next one.”
Following the team’s fourth blown second-half lead or tie in conference play, Collins and Martinelli both stressed that more discipline and fewer mental lapses could help the ’Cats find their first Big Ten win this season.
That focus starts with defensive rebounding, which has been a point of emphasis for Collins this season.
“We know they are going to shoot a lot of threes, but you have got to limit them to one shot the best that you can,” Collins said. “They are the best offensive rebounding team in our league and if I’m looking at the box score Wednesday night and I see 20, 22, 24 offensive rebounds, that’s not going to be good for the ’Cats.”
Illinois’ best attributes inversely match NU’s as it excels in 3-point shooting, utilizing multiple offensive threats and grabbing rebounds. The ’Cats must hone in on what’s been working well and find another gear in the second half to get rolling.
As NU attempts to defend home court against an in-state rival, it will need its star player and captain to guide it to victory.
“I’ve never been the most outspoken person, but over the last couple of weeks, I have been super motivated to change it,” Martinelli said. “Things are hitting the fan, and it’s my senior year, and we really have to dig ourselves out of a ditch in order to go to the tournament and reach the dreams that we work so hard for.”
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