In a decisive Big Ten matchup on Thursday, February 20, the Northwestern Wildcats delivered a 70-49 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus. This win marked Northwestern’s first conference road triumph of the season and dealt a significant blow to Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament aspirations.
The Wildcats (14-13, 5-11 Big Ten) capitalized on Ohio State’s (15-12, 7-9 Big Ten) offensive struggles, holding the Buckeyes to a season-low 32.7% shooting from the field. Northwestern’s defense was particularly stifling, forcing 16 turnovers and limiting Ohio State to just four made three-pointers on 21 attempts.
Northwestern Junior forward Nick Martinelli led all scorers with 18 points, while graduate student guard Ty Berry and freshman guard K.J. Windham each contributed 15 points. Graduate student center Matthew Nicholson added 10 points, marking his fourth double-digit scoring game of the season. The Wildcats dominated the paint, outscoring the Buckeyes 40-22 inside and securing a 36-27 rebounding advantage.
Ohio State’s offensive woes were evident throughout the game. Junior guard Bruce Thornton and guard Micah Parrish were the only Buckeyes to score in double figures, with 13 and 16 points respectively. The team endured multiple extended scoring droughts, including a stretch of over six minutes in the first half without a point. By halftime, the Buckeyes trailed 31-24, having committed more turnovers (11) than made field goals (10).
The second half saw Northwestern extend its lead. An early 12-0 run pushed the Wildcats’ advantage to 43-24, and they maintained a lead of at least 20 points for the majority of the half. Ohio State’s shooting struggles persisted, and the team was unable to mount a meaningful comeback.
This loss is a setback for Ohio State’s postseason hopes, as they look to rebound in their upcoming game against UCLA on Sunday. Meanwhile, Northwestern aims to build on this momentum as they continue their conference schedule.
