- Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats vs Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
- Venue: Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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This Saturday, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-16) are set to compete against the Northwestern Wildcats (13-17) at Williams Arena.
In their most recent contest, the Northwestern Wildcats faced Purdue, losing narrowly with a score of 70-66. Northwestern recorded a field goal percentage of 51.1%, making 24 of 47 attempts and sinking 7 out of 16 three-pointers. At the free-throw line, the Wildcats excelled, hitting 11 of 12 for a remarkable 91.7%. On the boards, they secured 15 rebounds, four of which were offensive. The team also contributed with 14 assists and forced their opponents into 13 turnovers, resulting in 7 steals. Defensively, Northwestern allowed Purdue to shoot at a rate of 53.1%, with the Boilermakers making 26 out of 49 attempts. Purdue managed 22 assists and came away with 2 steals. Although Purdue grabbed 27 rebounds (8 on offense, 19 on defense), they did not register any blocks. Purdue finished the game with an impressive free throw rate of 81.8%, converting 9 of 11 attempts and hitting 9 out of 24 from beyond the arc. The Wildcats ended the match with 14 personal fouls compared to Purdue’s 13.
Nick Martinelli was a standout in this game, racking up 28 points on 9 of 19 shooting over 38 minutes. He also collected 1 rebound and tallied 3 assists, finishing with a shooting efficiency of 47.4%.
This season, Northwestern holds a record of 13-17. The team averages 8.6 turnovers per game and commits about 17.3 fouls per contest. Northwestern averages 31.0 rebounds per game and has recorded 510 assists throughout the season, ranking 40th nationwide in assists per game. From three-point range, the Wildcats are making 32.6% of their shots (190 of 583) and shooting 74.9% from the free-throw line. They average 73.4 points per game (ranked 250th in college basketball) and have a field goal percentage of 45.8%.
Defensively, the Wildcats force 11.5 turnovers per game and draw 16.7 fouls. They rank 317th in the nation for assists allowed with 472 conceded thus far. Northwestern’s defense permits opponents to shoot at 43.6%, allowing 35.5 rebounds per game as a unit. They let in 33.0% of three-point attempts and are 137th in Division 1 for points allowed per game (72.4).
In their last outing, the Minnesota Golden Gophers suffered a defeat against Indiana, ending with a score of 77-47. During this game, the Golden Gophers collected 22 rebounds, combining 16 defensive and 6 offensive. They gave away the ball 10 times while managing to secure 4 steals. Indiana committed 15 fouls, granting the Golden Gophers 12 free-throw attempts, of which they converted 8 at a rate of 66.7%. Minnesota made 5 out of 21 attempts from beyond the arc, translating to 23.8%. Overall, the Golden Gophers shot 17 out of 53 from the field, reflecting a shooting percentage of 32.1%. They allowed Indiana to achieve a shooting percentage of 57.4%, with Indiana scoring 31 out of 54 attempts from the field. Indiana also shot 41.7% from 3-point territory, hitting 10 out of 24 shots, and converting 5 out of 8 free-throw attempts (62.5%). In terms of rebounding, Minnesota allowed Indiana to collect a total of 36 boards (7 offensive).
Cade Tyson was instrumental for the Golden Gophers in this game, scoring 21 points on 7 of 14 shooting (50.0%) and grabbing 2 rebounds in 38 minutes of play, although he did not record any assists.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers hold a season record of 14-16. The team averages 14.7 fouls per game and has a free throw percentage of 69.7%. They dish out assists at a rate of 17.2 per game (26th in Division 1) and commit 10.5 turnovers each contest. This season, Minnesota has tallied 2,107 points, averaging 70.2 per game, and grabs 31.4 rebounds on average. Offensively, the Golden Gophers have a field goal percentage of 45.6%, ranking 162nd nationally.
The Minnesota defense allows opponents to shoot 34.4% from three-point range (239 of 694) and permits 72.4% shooting from the free-throw line. On average, they allow 14.9 assists and 32.7 rebounds per game, ranking 287th and 73rd in Division 1, respectively. Defensively, the Golden Gophers rank 51st in college basketball, conceding an average of 68.5 points per game. They force 11.0 turnovers and have allowed opponents to shoot 44.6% from the field, placing them 210th nationally.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA game against the spread?
Prediction: Back Minnesota
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