Despite the ‘Cats’ mediocre season, Martinelli’s performance was one for the history books.
For our final men’s basketball season review, we’re looking at junior Nick Martinelli, who scored the most points in a single season in Northwestern history.
The Good
When senior Brooks Barnhizer, graduate student Ty Berry and graduate student Matthew Nicholson all started the season recovering from injuries, Nick Martinelli emerged as a key player for the Wildcats. Still, hardly anyone expected him to end the season as the Big Ten’s leading scorer.
But that was only one of the accolades he earned. In addition to averaging 20.5 points per game, he became Northwestern’s top scorer in a single season with 676 points, a record he set in the team’s 70-63 Big Ten tournament loss to Wisconsin that ended the ‘Cats’ season. While his efforts weren’t enough for that final game, he did notch two game-winning shots — one against Maryland on Jan. 16 and another against USC on Feb. 4.
Martinelli also scored at least 20 points in 18 games. He averaged 37.7 minutes per game, the most in the Big Ten. Both were significant improvements from the 2023-2024 season, when he averaged 8.8 points and 26.0 minutes per game.
The Glenview, Ill. native no longer took a backseat to the graduating players. His performances essentially dictated game outcomes. Should he choose to return for his final year of college eligibility, the ‘Cats’ offense will center around him as he takes on a definitive leadership role.
The Bad
That offensive dominance, however, can be a double-edged sword. For the most part, when Martinelli was on, so was the team. When his shots weren’t falling, the team had no reliable second option, especially with Barnhizer’s season ending early due to injury.
Speaking of Barnhizer, it’s hard to tell what the team will look like after his departure. He and Martinelli have become the faces of NU basketball as a duo, especially in the past year. But when Barnhizer and graduate student Jalen Leach suffered season-ending injuries, Martinelli stepped up to the challenge. He can still thrive on his own.
Martinelli’s own return to the ‘Cats technically remains in question, but it shouldn’t pose much of a concern. After the season ended, he declared for the 2025-2026 NBA Draft while retaining his final year of college eligibility. Both Barnhizer and Boo Buie did the same after their penultimate seasons, so it’s likely Martinelli will come back as well.
The Bottom Line
If Martinelli closes out his collegiate career with NU, the team’s results will probably hinge on his performances. Expect him to become the face of NU basketball — a role he’s already begun to take on this year with senior players’ absences.
Although the team just barely scraped a winning record and failed to make a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament, Martinelli was undoubtedly one of the season’s bright spots, dishing out moments of excitement and reasons to keep tuning in to the ‘Cats.