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Northwestern uses Martinelli's last second heroics to stave off USC 77-75

AP
Feb 04, 2025

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Nick Martinelli scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and his basket with 2.6 seconds left helped Northwestern hold off USC 77-75 on Tuesday night.

Martinelli split a double team near the baseline and softly laid it in to give Northwestern (13-10, 4-8 Big Ten) the lead in the closing seconds. Out of a timeout, USC put the ball in the hands of Clark Slajchert who took a few dribbles before a Wildcats defender knocked it out of bounds and time expired.

Slajchert converted a four-point play on a straight-away 3-pointer and a free throw with 29 seconds left to tie it at 75-all. With 1:54 left and USC trailing 72-67, Slajchert also drew a foul on Blake Smith from beyond the arc and made 1 of 3 from the line.

Northwestern led 33-31 and stretched the margin to 15 points, 59-44, over the first 10 minutes of the second half before USC fought its way back but never took the lead.

Martinelli recorded a career-high 10 offensive rebounds and reserve Justin Mullins scored 14 points for Northwestern.

Slajchert scored 24 points, shooting 9 for 11, Wesley Yates III scored 15 points and Chibuzo Agbo 14 for USC (13-9, 5-6).

USC plays at No. 7 Purdue on Friday. Northwestern plays at Washington on Saturday.

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1st Half
USC
Trojans
31
NW
Wildcats
33

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Rashaun Agee vs. Matthew Nicholson (Trojans gains possession)
19:36	+3	Rashaun Agee makes three point jump shot (Saint Thomas assists)	3-0
19:11		Angelo Ciaravino offensive foul
19:11		Angelo Ciaravino turnover (offensive foul)
18:56	+2	Clark Slajchert makes two point jump shot	5-0
18:33		Wesley Yates III personal foul
18:22		Angelo Ciaravino turnover (traveling)
18:04		Clark Slajchert misses two point jump shot
18:02		Matthew Nicholson defensive rebound
17:53	+3	Justin Mullins makes three point jump shot (Jalen Leach assists)	5-3
17:29		Matthew Nicholson shooting foul (Rashaun Agee draws the foul)
17:29	+1	Rashaun Agee makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-3
17:29		Rashaun Agee misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:29		Ty Berry defensive rebound
17:18		Rashaun Agee blocks Jalen Leach's two point layup
17:16		Jalen Leach offensive rebound
17:09	+3	Ty Berry makes three point jump shot (Jalen Leach assists)	6-6
16:55		Rashaun Agee misses two point layup
16:53		Ty Berry defensive rebound
16:44		Ty Berry misses two point layup
16:42		Matthew Nicholson offensive rebound
16:36	+2	Matthew Nicholson makes two point layup	6-8
16:18		Saint Thomas misses two point jump shot
16:16		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
16:06		Jalen Leach misses three point jump shot
16:04		Matt Knowling defensive rebound
15:49		Rashaun Agee misses two point layup
15:47		Matt Knowling offensive rebound
15:40	+2	Matt Knowling makes two point layup	8-8
15:34		Ty Berry misses two point layup
15:32		Ty Berry offensive rebound
15:31	+2	Ty Berry makes two point layup	8-10
15:31		Rashaun Agee shooting foul (Ty Berry draws the foul)
15:31		TV timeout
15:31	+1	Ty Berry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	8-11
15:05	+2	Matt Knowling makes two point layup	10-11
14:56	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point hook shot (Ty Berry assists)	10-13
14:27		Jalen Leach personal foul
14:17		Keenan Fitzmorris shooting foul (Wesley Yates III draws the foul)
14:17	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-13
14:17	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-13
14:14		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
14:12		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
13:59	+2	Keenan Fitzmorris makes two point jump shot	12-15
13:34		Chibuzo Agbo misses two point layup
13:32		Ty Berry defensive rebound
13:15		Ty Berry turnover (Wesley Yates III steals)
13:09	+2	Chibuzo Agbo makes two point layup (Wesley Yates III assists)	14-15
12:47	+3	Ty Berry makes three point jump shot (Jalen Leach assists)	14-18
12:20		Saint Thomas turnover
12:05		K.J. Windham misses three point jump shot
12:03		Wildcats offensive rebound
12:00		TV timeout
11:47		Justin Mullins misses three point jump shot
11:45		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:38		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
11:36		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:35		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
11:33		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:33		Keenan Fitzmorris misses two point layup
11:33		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:33		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
11:31		Keenan Fitzmorris offensive rebound
11:31		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
11:29		Justin Mullins offensive rebound
11:29		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
11:27		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:25		Clark Slajchert shooting foul (Nick Martinelli draws the foul)
11:25	+1	Nick Martinelli makes regular free throw 1 of 2	14-19
11:25	+1	Nick Martinelli makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-20
11:20		Wesley Yates III turnover
10:55	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point layup	14-22
10:55		Rashaun Agee shooting foul (Nick Martinelli draws the foul)
10:55	+1	Nick Martinelli makes regular free throw 1 of 1	14-23
10:40		Wesley Yates III turnover (traveling)
10:32		Jalen Leach misses two point layup
10:30		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
10:17	+2	Clark Slajchert makes two point jump shot (Matt Knowling assists)	16-23
9:58		K.J. Windham misses three point jump shot
9:56		Kevin Patton Jr. defensive rebound
9:49		Saint Thomas misses three point jump shot
9:47		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
9:32		Nick Martinelli misses two point jump shot
9:30		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
9:23		Matt Knowling misses two point layup
9:21		Matthew Nicholson defensive rebound
9:10		Nick Martinelli misses two point jump shot
9:08		Matt Knowling defensive rebound
8:52	+2	Clark Slajchert makes two point jump shot (Saint Thomas assists)	18-23
8:30		Jalen Leach misses two point jump shot
8:28		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
8:18		Wesley Yates III misses two point jump shot
8:16		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
7:57		Kevin Patton Jr. personal foul
7:57		TV timeout
7:38		Kevin Patton Jr. blocks Jalen Leach's two point jump shot
7:37		Wildcats offensive rebound
7:37		Wildcats turnover (shot clock violation)
7:21		Matthew Nicholson blocks Clark Slajchert's two point jump shot
7:19		Nick Martinelli defensive rebound
7:10		Nick Martinelli misses three point jump shot
7:08		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
7:03		Saint Thomas misses two point layup
7:01		Chibuzo Agbo offensive rebound
7:01		Angelo Ciaravino shooting foul (Chibuzo Agbo draws the foul)
7:01		Chibuzo Agbo misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:01	+1	Chibuzo Agbo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-23
6:39	+2	Jalen Leach makes two point jump shot	19-25
6:19	+3	Clark Slajchert makes three point jump shot (Saint Thomas assists)	22-25
6:01		Jalen Leach misses three point jump shot
5:59		Clark Slajchert defensive rebound
5:51	+2	Saint Thomas makes two point layup (Clark Slajchert assists)	24-25
5:33		Kevin Patton Jr. personal foul
5:20	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point jump shot	24-27
5:05		Ty Berry personal foul
4:48		Saint Thomas turnover (bad pass)
4:21		Kevin Patton Jr. blocks Nick Martinelli's two point jump shot
4:19		Jalen Leach offensive rebound
4:07	+2	Jalen Leach makes two point jump shot	24-29
3:58		Justin Mullins personal foul (Chibuzo Agbo draws the foul)
3:58		TV timeout
3:58	+1	Chibuzo Agbo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-29
3:58	+1	Chibuzo Agbo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-29
3:34		Ty Berry misses two point jump shot
3:32		Matt Knowling defensive rebound
3:03		Wesley Yates III misses two point jump shot
3:01		Ty Berry defensive rebound
2:52		Nick Martinelli misses two point jump shot
2:50		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
2:45	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point layup	26-31
2:20		Matt Knowling turnover (traveling)
2:04		Nick Martinelli misses two point hook shot
2:02		Kevin Patton Jr. defensive rebound
1:52		Nick Martinelli shooting foul (Matt Knowling draws the foul)
1:52		Matt Knowling misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:52	+1	Matt Knowling makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-31
1:41		Justin Mullins turnover (Kevin Patton Jr. steals)
1:35	+2	Kevin Patton Jr. makes two point dunk	29-31
1:35		Wildcats 30 second timeout
1:14		Kevin Patton Jr. personal foul (Justin Mullins draws the foul)
1:14		Justin Mullins misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:14		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
0:52		Chibuzo Agbo misses three point jump shot
0:50		Jalen Leach defensive rebound
0:38	+2	Matthew Nicholson makes two point dunk (Ty Berry assists)	29-33
0:08		Kevin Patton Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:06		Chibuzo Agbo offensive rebound
0:06	+2	Kevin Patton Jr. makes two point layup	31-33
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
USC
Trojans
44
NW
Wildcats
44

Time		Play	Score
19:56		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
19:54		Wesley Yates III defensive rebound
19:25		Saint Thomas misses two point jump shot
19:23		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
19:09	+2	Matthew Nicholson makes two point dunk (Jalen Leach assists)	31-35
18:52	+2	Clark Slajchert makes two point layup	33-35
18:35	+2	Matthew Nicholson makes two point dunk (Jalen Leach assists)	33-37
18:15		Saint Thomas misses three point jump shot
18:13		Wildcats defensive rebound
17:55	+2	Justin Mullins makes two point layup (Jalen Leach assists)	33-39
17:38		Rashaun Agee misses three point jump shot
17:36		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
17:17		Matthew Nicholson misses two point jump shot
17:15		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
17:08		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
17:06		Rashaun Agee defensive rebound
17:02		Ty Berry personal foul
16:44		Wesley Yates III misses three point jump shot
16:42		Clark Slajchert offensive rebound
16:35	+2	Clark Slajchert makes two point jump shot	35-39
16:20		Wesley Yates III personal foul
16:14	+3	Justin Mullins makes three point jump shot (Nick Martinelli assists)	35-42
15:49	+2	Chibuzo Agbo makes two point jump shot (Saint Thomas assists)	37-42
15:28		Saint Thomas shooting foul (Jalen Leach draws the foul)
15:28		TV timeout
15:28	+1	Jalen Leach makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-43
15:28	+1	Jalen Leach makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-44
15:08		Chibuzo Agbo misses two point jump shot
15:06		Ty Berry defensive rebound
14:48		Jalen Leach misses two point jump shot
14:46		Wildcats offensive rebound
14:35		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
14:33		Wildcats offensive rebound
14:21		Kevin Patton Jr. blocks Jalen Leach's two point layup
14:19		Keenan Fitzmorris offensive rebound
14:18		Saint Thomas shooting foul (Keenan Fitzmorris draws the foul)
14:18	+1	Keenan Fitzmorris makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-45
14:18	+1	Keenan Fitzmorris makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-46
13:58		Kevin Patton Jr. misses two point hook shot
13:56		Nick Martinelli defensive rebound
13:45		Saint Thomas personal foul
13:38	+2	Keenan Fitzmorris makes two point dunk (Ty Berry assists)	37-48
13:22		Kevin Patton Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Leach steals)
13:18		Kevin Patton Jr. personal foul
13:12		Ty Berry offensive foul
13:12		Ty Berry turnover (offensive foul)
12:57	+3	Clark Slajchert makes three point jump shot (Wesley Yates III assists)	40-48
12:44	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point jump shot	40-50
12:28		Wesley Yates III misses three point jump shot
12:26		Wesley Yates III offensive rebound
12:19		Matt Knowling misses two point jump shot
12:17		Nick Martinelli defensive rebound
12:06		Nick Martinelli misses two point jump shot
12:04		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
11:57	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point layup	40-52
11:49	+2	Matt Knowling makes two point layup (Saint Thomas assists)	42-52
11:31		Nick Martinelli misses three point jump shot
11:29		Matt Knowling defensive rebound
11:18	+2	Saint Thomas makes two point layup (Rashaun Agee assists)	44-52
10:58	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point layup (Justin Mullins assists)	44-54
10:41		Jalen Leach personal foul
10:41		TV timeout
10:39		Clark Slajchert turnover (Matthew Nicholson steals)
10:32		Clark Slajchert shooting foul (Blake Smith draws the foul)
10:32	+1	Blake Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-55
10:32	+1	Blake Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-56
10:22		Saint Thomas turnover (bad pass)
10:05	+3	Justin Mullins makes three point jump shot (Nick Martinelli assists)	44-59
9:47	+3	Rashaun Agee makes three point jump shot (Clark Slajchert assists)	47-59
9:20	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point jump shot	47-61
9:07		Rashaun Agee misses three point jump shot
9:05		Justin Mullins defensive rebound
8:49		Matt Knowling personal foul
8:49		Nick Martinelli misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:49		Rashaun Agee defensive rebound
8:42		Jalen Leach personal foul
8:38	+3	Wesley Yates III makes three point jump shot (Saint Thomas assists)	50-61
8:03	+3	Justin Mullins makes three point jump shot (K.J. Windham assists)	50-64
7:43		Nick Martinelli shooting foul
7:43		TV timeout
7:43	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-64
7:43	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-64
7:18		Matthew Nicholson misses two point hook shot
7:16		Matthew Nicholson offensive rebound
7:07		Matthew Nicholson misses two point hook shot
7:05		Rashaun Agee defensive rebound
6:58		Saint Thomas turnover (Ty Berry steals)
6:41		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
6:39		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
6:33		Justin Mullins shooting foul (Wesley Yates III draws the foul)
6:33	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-64
6:33	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-64
6:07		Ty Berry misses three point jump shot
6:05		Keenan Fitzmorris offensive rebound
6:05		Rashaun Agee personal foul (Keenan Fitzmorris draws the foul)
6:05	+1	Keenan Fitzmorris makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-65
6:05	+1	Keenan Fitzmorris makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-66
5:58	+3	Wesley Yates III makes three point jump shot	57-66
5:26		Jalen Leach turnover (traveling)
5:03		Chibuzo Agbo misses three point jump shot
5:01		Matthew Nicholson defensive rebound
4:43		Chibuzo Agbo personal foul (Nick Martinelli draws the foul)
4:43		Nick Martinelli misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:43		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
4:39		Justin Mullins shooting foul (Wesley Yates III draws the foul)
4:39	+1	Wesley Yates III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-66
4:39		Wesley Yates III misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:39		Chibuzo Agbo offensive rebound
4:34	+2	Chibuzo Agbo makes two point layup	60-66
4:11		Rashaun Agee shooting foul (Blake Smith draws the foul)
4:11	+1	Blake Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-67
4:11		Blake Smith misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:11		Saint Thomas defensive rebound
4:02	+2	Wesley Yates III makes two point layup (Saint Thomas assists)	62-67
3:30		Saint Thomas shooting foul (Nick Martinelli draws the foul)
3:30		TV timeout
3:30	+1	Nick Martinelli makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-68
3:30	+1	Nick Martinelli makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-69
3:07		Matthew Nicholson blocks Rashaun Agee's two point layup
3:05		Trojans offensive rebound
3:04	+2	Chibuzo Agbo makes two point layup (Saint Thomas assists)	64-69
2:36		Clark Slajchert shooting foul (Blake Smith draws the foul)
2:36		Blake Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:36	+1	Blake Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-70
2:31	+3	Clark Slajchert makes three point jump shot	67-70
2:02		Nick Martinelli misses two point layup
2:00		Nick Martinelli offensive rebound
1:54	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point layup	67-72
1:50		Blake Smith personal foul
1:50		Clark Slajchert misses regular free throw 1 of 3
1:50		Clark Slajchert misses regular free throw 2 of 3
1:50	+1	Clark Slajchert makes regular free throw 3 of 3	68-72
1:39		Wildcats 30 second timeout
1:39		TV timeout
1:24		Ty Berry misses two point jump shot
1:22		Rashaun Agee defensive rebound
1:15		Wesley Yates III misses two point jump shot
1:13		Matthew Nicholson defensive rebound
1:08		Wildcats 30 second timeout
0:47	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point jump shot (Blake Smith assists)	68-74
0:35	+3	Chibuzo Agbo makes three point jump shot (Rashaun Agee assists)	71-74
0:35		Blake Smith shooting foul (Chibuzo Agbo draws the foul)
0:35		Chibuzo Agbo misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:35		Rashaun Agee personal foul
0:35		Matthew Nicholson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:35	+1	Matthew Nicholson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	71-75
0:29	+3	Clark Slajchert makes three point jump shot	74-75
0:29		Blake Smith shooting foul (Clark Slajchert draws the foul)
0:29	+1	Clark Slajchert makes regular free throw 1 of 1	75-75
0:12		Wildcats 30 second timeout
0:02	+2	Nick Martinelli makes two point jump shot	75-77
0:02		Trojans 30 second timeout
0:00		End of period

Trojans 30 second timeout