Northwestern Stuns No. 19 Illinois in Overtime Thriller

Nick Martinelli's 27-point performance leads the Wildcats to a 70-66 comeback win after erasing a 10-point second-half deficit.

Nick Martinelli scored a game-high 27 points, including seven in overtime, to propel Northwestern to victory at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Northwestern overcame a 46-36 deficit midway through the second half, tying the game at 56-56 with 41 seconds left in regulation on a Brooks Barnhizer jumper.
Illinois was led by Kasparas Jakucionis, who tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Tomislav Ivisic added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
A key defensive play came in overtime when Northwestern's Matthew Nicholson blocked a Jakucionis layup attempt with 39 seconds remaining, preserving a one-point lead.
The Wildcats bounced back from a narrow loss to Iowa earlier in the week, marking their second consecutive season with a home win over a ranked Big Ten opponent.