It wasn’t the prettiest game for the Wildcats, but they got the job done.
He’s baaaack.
In captain Brooks Barnhizer’s season debut, the Wildcats (4-1) scraped out a gritty win, edging past Montana State (1-4) to secure a 72-69 victory.
Nick Martinelli continued his breakout season, pouring in 22 points, while Barnhizer followed closely behind his counterpart with 20 points in the contest.
After Matt Nicholson won the tip for Northwestern, the Wildcats missed their first opportunity to put points on the board, with Jalen Leach misfiring on a three to open the game. That miss set the tone for much of the first half, as the Wildcats’ offense sputtered and struggled to find its rhythm.
Despite their early offensive struggles, the Wildcats were carried by Brooks Barnhizer, who finished the first half with a team-high 14 points and brought the Welsh-Ryan crowd to life, especially after drilling his first three-pointer at the 13:13 mark. Barnhizer’s heroics were on full display throughout the half, particularly when he converted a crucial and-one to shift the momentum back to Northwestern after Montana State’s Tyler Patterson hit a massive three-pointer that gave the Bobcats their largest lead of the night around the seven-minute mark.
Additionally, Leach provided a valuable spark, chipping in with 7 points in the first half to help keep the Wildcats afloat. His three-pointer around the 15-minute mark was particularly crucial, as it gave Northwestern their first lead of the contest over the Bobcats.
However, Barnhizer and Leach couldn’t carry the entire load, and head coach Chris Collins’ squad looked lost at times, unable to solve the Bobcats’ offense led by the dazzling performance of Max Agbonkpolo. This largely explains why the Wildcats entered halftime trailing 39-34. From the moment he stepped onto the court at Welsh-Ryan, Agbonkpolo was a dominant force, finishing with 10 points in the first half and wreaking havoc on both ends of the floor. He further compounded Northwestern’s struggles with his disruptive defense, recording two steals in the first half and forcing Collins’ team out of their comfort zone.
In the second half, the Wildcats came out of the gates rolling. Nick Martinelli set the tone with a powerful basket, and on the other end, Barnhizer notched a steal that led to an opportunity for Nicholson at the free-throw line. However, the center air-balled both attempts, much to the dismay of the Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd, dampening the momentum from their strong start to the half.
Just as the Bobcats seemed poised to gather steam like a runaway freight train, Agbonkpolo had a fast-break opportunity but got ahead of himself, losing control of the ball in a costly turnover. The mistake led to a Barnhizer layup, and, moments later, the Wildcats claimed their first lead of the second half, courtesy of Martinelli’s signature hook shot that sent the Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd into a frenzy.
Barnhizer then forced Brandon Walker to pick up his third foul, signaling a pivotal momentum shift for Collins’ squad. However, the Bobcats responded in dramatic fashion when Jabe Mullins buried a three-pointer as the shot clock expired, tying the game once again near the 16-minute mark.
But just moments after the Bobcats tied the score, Ty Berry made his presence felt. The Kansas native drilled back-to-back three-pointers, giving Northwestern its largest lead of the night and putting the ‘Cats up by six near the 12:30 mark.
Yet, despite every opportunity to slam the door shut, Collins’ team kept leaving it ajar, inviting Montana State to stick around like an unshakable houseguest. Northwestern handed the Bobcats chance after chance, and Sam Lecholat made them pay with a clutch three-pointer at the 10:52 mark, cutting Northwestern’s advantage to just one. Moments later, Walker added to the momentum with a deep shot of his own, putting Montana State back in front.
As the latter part of the second half unfolded, Northwestern found itself on the wrong side of the foul count. Collins’ team was in deep foul trouble, with Martinelli accumulating three fouls and Barnhizer already picking up his fourth before the ten-minute mark. Notably, the fifth-year guard fouled out only once during the entirety of last season.
With Barnhizer on the bench, the Bobcats wasted no time unleashing another salvo from beyond the arc, as Lecholat drained yet another three to keep their barrage alive. The Wildcats answered with a Martinelli jumper near the seven-minute mark, trying to steady the ship. Shortly after, Leach stepped to the charity stripe and split a pair of free throws—crucial points in what felt like a never-ending seesaw battle.
When it came time to close out the contest, the Wildcats turned to their captain. Barnhizer delivered a clutch layup with just over a minute remaining, but the Bobcats refused to back down. Mullins answered with poise, sinking his third three-pointer of the night with under 47 seconds left on the clock.
However, in the final moments of the game, after Nicholson delivered a clutch dunk, Berry came up with a crucial steal, and Leach sank a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining to seal the Wildcats’ hard-fought victory in a nail-biter.
Northwestern will return to action at Welsh-Ryan Arena against Pepperdine on Friday at 7 p.m. CST.