- Matchup: Valparaiso Beacons vs Northwestern Wildcats
- Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
- Venue: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, IL
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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The Northwestern Wildcats (6-4) are set to face off against the Valparaiso Beacons (6-4) at Welsh-Ryan Arena this Tuesday.
In their previous outing, the Valparaiso Beacons lost to UNC Wilmington, finishing the game at 73-70. Valparaiso accumulated 25 personal fouls while UNC Wilmington totaled 24. From behind the arc, the Beacons made 6 of 22 shots. UNC Wilmington struggled at the free-throw line, converting 19 of 33 attempts for a 57.6% success rate. Additionally, UNC Wilmington secured 41 rebounds (22 offensive and 19 defensive) without registering a block. They also had 10 assists and 2 steals. Defensively, Valparaiso allowed their opponents to shoot 40.0% from the field, permitting 24 out of 60 attempts. The Beacons managed to dish out 10 assists while forcing 9 turnovers, notching 3 steals. Valparaiso captured 36 rebounds, including 15 on offense, and shot 75.0% from the free-throw line by sinking 18 out of 24 attempts. Overall, they recorded a shooting percentage of 35.4% (23 of 65) and converted 6 of 25 from three-point range.
JT Pettigrew was a standout player in this matchup, achieving 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting, while grabbing 10 rebounds and providing 1 assist in 32 minutes of play.
Valparaiso brings a 6-4 record into this game. As a team, they average 10.5 turnovers and commit 17.6 fouls per game. The Beacons are securing an average of 39.4 rebounds each outing and have recorded 126 assists this season, ranking them 322nd in the nation in this statistic. Their three-point shooting stands at 30.2% (75 of 248), while their free-throw percentage is at 69.6%. They score an average of 73.1 points per game, placing them 280th nationally, with a field-goal percentage of 41.0%.
On the defensive front, the Beacons force 13.4 turnovers per game and average 19.3 fouls. They hold opponents to 30.8% shooting from beyond the arc and rank 85th in the country for points allowed per game (68.3). Valparaiso’s opponents are shooting 39.8% (228 of 573) overall and averaging 38.1 rebounds against them. They rank 27th in Division I for limiting assists, having conceded only 105 this season.
In their last contest, the Northwestern Wildcats secured a decisive 93-53 victory over Jackson State. The Wildcats totaled 43 rebounds, with 33 coming defensively and 10 offensively. They recorded 10 turnovers and managed to snatch 5 steals during the game. Jackson State committed 26 fouls, which allowed the Wildcats to take 39 free-throw attempts, converting 30 for a 76.9% success rate. Northwestern also achieved a shooting efficiency of 50.0% (28 of 56) and made 7 of 26 attempts from three-point range (26.9%). Defensively, they allowed Jackson State to score 16 of 56 attempts, leading to a 28.6% shooting rate for their rivals. Jackson State also made only 15 of 23 free-throw attempts (65.2%), while Northwestern allowed a total of 29 rebounds (8 offensive) to their opponents.
Nick Martinelli made a significant impact for the Wildcats, scoring 22 points in just 22 minutes of action and contributing 1 assist. He shot an impressive 80.0% from the field, making 8 out of 10 attempts, along with grabbing 5 rebounds.
Currently, Northwestern stands at a 6-4 record for the season. The Wildcats are averaging 18.5 fouls per game and boast a 74.7% success rate from the free-throw line. They lead with 18.6 assists per game, ranking 28th in the nation, while averaging only 9.8 turnovers per contest. They have scored 823 points in total this year (82.3 per game) and collect an average of 34.8 rebounds per outing. Offensively, Northwestern’s shooting percentage of 50.1% ranks them 31st nationwide.
Defensively, the Wildcats are conceding an average of 71.1 points per game, ranking 129th in the nation. They manage to force 11.5 turnovers per game and allow opponents a shooting percentage of 40.3% (ranked 65th in college). Opponents are shooting 28.6% from three-point territory (69 of 241) and converting 74.0% of free-throw attempts against them. In terms of assists allowed, they average 14.9 dimes conceded, along with 34.0 rebounds, placing them 276th and 155th nationally, respectively.
Who will prevail in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Valparaiso
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