Never count out the Cardiac ‘Cats.
This was an absolute must-win game for the ‘Cats, and they found a way in characteristically heart-stopping fashion. After dropping three straight games to start the calendar year, Nick Martinelli called game with a fading 18-footer to lift NU over Maryland in a 76-74 overtime victory. Here are some things we learned from the purple-and-white’s latest dramatic win.
Unconventional offense can play in the Big Ten
On Retro Night, the ‘80s tunes were flowing and the unorthodox shots were falling. Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer hosted a midrange masterclass on Thursday night, combining for 42 points on just two made threes. Martinelli was especially effective from tip-off, keeping the ‘Cats in the action with his left-handed floaters and flip shots.
While Barnhizer took a bit longer to get going, he stuffed the box score as always. He notched a double-double with 10 rebounds to go with his 20 points, dishing five assists and recording a pair of blocks and steals. He was also cold-blooded in late-clock moments — he found Martinelli underneath to enter halftime with a one-point lead, and powered through Selton Miguel for a go-ahead layup with 17 seconds left in overtime.
In a basketball landscape teeming with three-pointers, the ‘Cats are an anomaly. The purple-and-white have made the second-fewest shots beyond the arc in the Big Ten, largely due to its two stars’ proclivity for the midrange. But this gritty win over a solid Maryland team proves that NU can get it done without a classic marksman.
The defense made a second-half stand
This was a back-and-forth affair all night, as the first half alone saw 11 different lead changes. Though the ‘Cats found themselves up by one entering halftime, they were vulnerable in the paint and allowed the Terrapins to attempt (and convert) 11 free throws in the first 20 minutes. They had to feel good about holding freshman phenom Derik Queen to just two points, but bigs Matthew Nicholson and Keenan Fitzmorris both had two fouls to their names in the first half.
Chris Collins proceeded to educate the Terrapins on the value of switching defense. After making 45.8% of their first-half baskets, Maryland converted only a third of its looks in the final 25 minutes. The ‘Cats were out-rebounded 39-33, but their hellacious effort yielded 19 points off turnovers (compared to the Terps’ seven). There were multiple possessions where Martinelli disrupted Maryland’s offense with a perfectly timed double team. It was Collins at his finest, channeling his competitive spirit into his players in a packed Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Ty Berry needed this
It was only a matter of time before Collins sent the fifth-year senior to the bench. Berry contributed just five points on 2-for-13 shooting during the Wildcats’ three-game losing streak. With his confidence in the doldrums, he wouldn’t be featured in the starting five for the first time since his sophomore year. Berry’s first touch of the game wasn’t a good sign, as he smoked a layup from right under the basket.
But then, a switch flipped. After missing from the top of the key, Berry finished a slick feed from Jalen Leach at the rim to tie the game at 22-22. In the next three minutes, he poured in eight more points, including two catch-and-shoot threes. He was seeing the floor better than he had all season, finding K.J. Windham for a corner three to put the ‘Cats up late in the first half. Berry was also locked in defensively, stripping Queen with 25 seconds left in regulation to steal a critical possession from the Terrapins.
While he finished shooting just 5-of-13 from the field, Berry’s 15-point night was his best scoring output against a Big Ten opponent since NU’s loss to Iowa on Dec. 3. The ‘Cats are going to need Berry’s shooting if they want to keep up with the conference’s most potent offenses. Whether that’s as a microwave scorer off the bench or back in the starting lineup, last night could be a good sign for games to come.