Coming into Friday’s matchup, Northwestern men’s basketball hadn’t had much to stress about.
The Wildcats were fresh off their most lopsided victory against a Division I opponent since 2017, one of three
20+ wins to start the season — the first time in school history that has occurred. They were riding momentum, garnering blowout wins and flexing a team filled with young talent and justifiable aspirations.
DePaul was bound to be a tougher test. Northwestern had beaten the Blue Demons in their last three meetings, a momentous period of an otherwise tense and back-and-forth rivalry. But Chris Collins was aware of DePaul’s physicality, how it wears defenders out inside and plays with a ferocious spirit that makes them a difficult out every time. He was aware of DePaul’s size and stature, as the Blue Demons are the second-tallest team in the Big East.
Collins was aware that this game wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. And it turned out to be anything but that.
Northwestern’s 81-79 win over DePaul marked its closest game of the season thus far. Nick Martinelli, who became revered last season for his game-winning shots and elevated play in clutch moments — knocked down a pair of dagger free throws with 3.5 seconds left to give the ‘Cats a lead they clung onto and escaped with a win.
“I think I saw my Mom crying,” Martinelli said. “But thank god they won it.”
It was a game Collins acknowledged as a battle from start to finish. 14 ties and 17 lead changes saw counter punches constantly thrown, as the Blue Demons never let the ‘Cats lead get above six and made them feel like underdogs for much of the game.
“[The Blue Demons] were the tougher team most of the night,” Collins said. “They did a lot of good things tonight that put us in peril with foul trouble and giving up easy baskets around the paint.”
Collins touted the team’s competitive spirit and fighting nature as helping it grind out a win. He acknowledged that the team hadn’t been battle-tested in previous outings, and saw this win as essential to the team’s success as the season progresses.
“We played very well in our first three games, but there wasn’t a whole lot of adversity in those games,” Collins said. “I think we are gonna be in a lot of close games this year, so you got to find ways to get stops when the game’s on the line, which I thought we did.”
NU’s offense wasn’t the issue on Friday. It shot 58% from the field and 44% from three. While Nick Martinelli was crowned the hero and named the Fisher-McGrath game MVP, this game wouldn’t have been won without a memorable game from Arrinten Page, who scored a career-high 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting.
Page’s ability to convert inside and muscle his way to the rim proved dividends down the stretch. As his scoring increased, so did his confidence, and there were points in the game where Page was the primary guy on offense.
Collins commended Page for not just his performance on Friday, but also the courage he showed to suit up as a Wildcat. The head coach explained Page’s evolution from the turmoil he faced at USC with coaching changes and an unstable role, to now having a support system at Northwestern that brings out the talent he possesses — including his ability to run, score and play in the paint and around the rim.
“He knows that we need him, and I think that’s been a really good formula,” Collins said. “It’s just about him continuing to be consistent and continuing to trust us and us continuing to trust himself. It’s been a great fit, and I’m really proud of him the way he’s played so far this year.”
Despite his dominant performance, Page said he took full responsibility for the one metric Northwestern struggled mightily in— rebounding. The ‘Cats were out-rebounded 16-6 on offensive boards, en route to a 20-7 Blue Demons advantage on second chance points.
While Page’s answer in the postgame tunnel interview expressed humility and a desire to get better with rebounding going forward, his teammate Jayden Reid — who himself had a strong game with 17 points — jokingly asked him, “What’s it like to be the best big man in the nation?” That was a testament to how well Page has played and the camaraderie formed amongst his new teammates.
Page wasn’t the only player touted by Collins and his players. Tre Singleton also earned his flowers for his clutch and momentum-shifting layups in the game’s final minutes. It was the freshman’s birthday, and he impressed Martinelli with his ability to make an impact and be confident even despite his occasional issues with foul trouble.
“I’ve never had a question about whether or not Tre’s gonna show up for a game, because she shows up for himself every single day,” Martinelli said. “He reminds me a lot of Brooks [Barnzhier] in the fact that he never leaves the gym.”
While their performances won’t stand out on the stat sheet, Max Green and KJ Windham — described by Collins as the team’s best shooters — each hit a three-pointer in the final minutes of the first half to keep DePaul’s lead within striking distance. Those shots were critical as NU would not have won without them, from both a points perspective and morale perspective, as they kept NU in the game and ensured it did not enter the second half in a difficult hole with all the momentum lost.
“I think I have to do a better job getting those guys more shots, because they can change a game with their shooting,” Collins said.
While this could go down as one of the ‘Cats most thrilling wins this season, it will be just another chapter in the large book that is the Northwestern-DePaul rivalry. Collins recognized this as one of many great rivalries in the sport.
“I think the better that we are, the better that they are, it’s better for the local scene of basketball in Chicago,” Collins said. “I think this rivalry is going to keep getting stronger year after year.”
