KEY POINTS
- Northwestern ended a five-game slide by defeating Maryland 78-74 on Wednesday.
- The Wildcats converted 12 of 21 three-point attempts to fuel a second-half comeback.
- Andre Mills scored a career-high 39 points for the Terrapins in the narrow loss.
Northwestern broke out of a multi-game slump on Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats hosted the Maryland Terrapins for a critical Big Ten conference matchup. Both teams entered the contest looking to improve their standing in the league. Northwestern secured a hard-fought 78-74 victory to end their five-game losing streak.
The home team relied heavily on exceptional perimeter shooting throughout the evening. Northwestern entered the game as the lowest-ranked three-point shooting team in the Big Ten. However, they found their rhythm early and never let up from deep. The Wildcats made 57.1 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
Nick Martinelli led the way for Northwestern with a team-high 29 points. He provided consistent scoring in both halves to keep the offense moving. Jordan Clayton also delivered a standout performance for the Wildcats. He scored 18 of his career-high 20 points from three-point range.
Maryland provided a significant challenge behind a massive individual effort from Andre Mills. The freshman guard carried the Terrapins with a career-high 39 points. Mills looked unstoppable for much of the game, shooting 6-of-9 from deep. He scored 22 points in the first half alone to keep Maryland close.
The game remained tight through the first 20 minutes of action. Northwestern held a slim 35-34 lead as both teams headed to the locker room. Maryland eventually surged ahead to take a 50-44 advantage in the second half. Solomon Washington helped the Terrapins control the boards during this stretch.
The Wildcats responded to the deficit with a sudden barrage of three-pointers. Clayton and Jake West combined for several quick triples to reclaim the lead. This scoring run shifted the momentum permanently back to the home side. Northwestern built a double-digit cushion with less than ten minutes remaining.
Maryland attempted a late comeback but struggled with ball security. They committed 15 turnovers which allowed the Wildcats to maintain control. Angelo Ciaravino chipped in 16 points to support the Northwestern victory. His steady play helped stabilize the team during the closing minutes.
The Terrapins cut the lead to three points in the final second. Mills hit his last triple just before the buzzer sounded. However, a final free throw from Northwestern sealed the four-point win. The Wildcats improved their conference record to 3-13 with the result.
This victory provides Northwestern with much-needed confidence before the regular season ends. They will now travel to face Indiana on Tuesday evening. Maryland returns home to host Washington this coming Saturday. Both programs remain focused on securing better seeds for the conference tournament.
