- Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Date: Sunday, January 11, 2026
- Venue: Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, NJ
- Broadcast: ESPN+
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This Sunday, the Northwestern Wildcats (8-6) will head to Jersey Mike’s Arena to face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-7).
In their last outing, the Northwestern Wildcats faced off against Michigan State but suffered a defeat, finishing the game at 76-66. The Wildcats committed 24 personal fouls, while Michigan State had 14. From beyond the arc, Northwestern converted 5 of 18 attempts. Michigan State achieved a free throw success rate of 69.7%, making 23 of 33 attempts. On the boards, Michigan State secured 41 rebounds (11 offensive, 30 defensive) but did not register any blocked shots. They also provided 17 assists and had 3 steals during the game. Northwestern’s defense allowed Michigan State to shoot at an efficiency of 49.0%, successfully making 24 of 49 shots. The Wildcats themselves distributed 14 assists, forced 12 turnovers, and secured 9 steals. They recorded a total of 22 rebounds, with 7 offensive boards. At the charity stripe, Northwestern converted 16 of their 20 attempts, resulting in an 80.0% success rate. Overall, the Wildcats finished with a field goal percentage of 37.9% (22 of 58), hitting 6 of their 26 three-point shots.
Nick Martinelli stood out in the matchup, posting an impressive 72.7% shooting percentage without any assists. He played for 39 minutes, grabbing 5 rebounds, and scored 28 points on 8 of 11 shooting.
Currently, the Wildcats sport an 8-6 overall record. They average 8.8 turnovers per game and commit 17.9 fouls each time out. As a collective unit, Northwestern grabs 33.7 rebounds per outing and has amassed 260 assists this season, ranking 66th nationally in assists. The Wildcats shoot 31.5% from three-point range (87 of 276) and 73.9% at the free throw line. Their scoring average stands at 80.4 points per game (ranked 117th in the nation), with a field goal percentage of 49.0%.
When defending, the Wildcats force opponents into 12.1 turnovers per game while drawing 19.0 fouls. Defensively, they rank 222nd in allowing assists with 213 conceded this season. Opponents shoot 41.3% against them (340 of 824), and Northwestern allows 34.3 rebounds per game. They restrict opponents to a three-point shooting percentage of 29.1% and rank 107th nationally in points allowed per game (70.4).
In their last game, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced a defeat against Illinois, finishing 81-55. On the glass, Rutgers permitted Illinois 41 rebounds (9 offensive). The Scarlet Knights shot 35.5% from deep, making 11 of 31 attempts, and converted 18 of 21 free throws for an impressive 85.7% rate. Illinois shot 44.1% from the field, hitting 26 of 59 shots. At the end of the game, Rutgers’ shooting percentage was 36.5% (23 for 63), and they made 6 of 22 three-point attempts (27.3%). Illinois committed 8 personal fouls, providing Rutgers 8 free throw attempts. The Scarlet Knights turned the ball over 7 times while recording 5 steals and grabbed 21 defensive boards alongside 9 offensive rebounds for a total of 30 rebounds in the game.
Kaden Powers emerged as a top performer for the Scarlet Knights, scoring 12 points in 25 minutes of play, alongside 1 assist. He finished the game with a field goal percentage of 41.7%, connecting on 5 of 12 attempts, and added 1 rebound.
This season, Rutgers holds an 8-7 record. The Scarlet Knights average 16.5 fouls per game and have a free throw percentage of 72.7%. They average 10.7 assists per game (ranking 356th in D-1) and commit 11.4 turnovers each contest. They have recorded 1,054 total points this season (70.3 per game) and consistently grab 35.7 rebounds per game. Offensively, Rutgers shoots 40.6% from the field, placing them 341st in the country.
Rutgers’ defense allows a 36.7% shooting percentage from three-point range (122 of 332), while opponents achieve 72.4% at the free throw line. They give up an average of 14.4 assists and 35.9 rebounds, ranking 254th and 258th in each category, respectively. Defensively, they rank 159th in the nation in points allowed per game, giving up 72.5 on average. The Scarlet Knights force 12.4 turnovers and allow opposing teams to shoot 44.4% overall (238th in college basketball).
Who will prevail in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Pick: Bet on Northwestern
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