Martinelli breaks Northwestern's single-season record record

Indianapolis – In the early moments of the Northwestern season, junior striker Nick Martinelli received a post-entry fun.

“This is in his pocket,” called the NBC commentator Paul Burmeister and capped the smooth finesse of the piece.

At that moment, only a few could have imagined that Martinelli's first basket of the season would serve as the starting point for the largest one-day campaign in the history of wildcats basketball.

But deep in the post with three minutes remain in the second half of the second tournament in the second round of NU with No. 18 Wisconsin on Thursday, the junior engraved its name in the program books in the program history.

When Martinelli received a Bounce Pass from Redshirt striker Luke Hunger, Martinelli, Kamari McGee, escaped, and flickerted his trademark for left-handers to secure more points in one season than any wildcat from him.

Martinelli took on the competition on Thursday and was only seven points that bind the former Nu striker John Shurna 661-point edition in the 2011/12 season. He exceeded the 646-point season of the former security guard Boo Buie in the first round of NU against Minnesota on Wednesday.

Martinelli met early against the Badgers on the offensive when Junior Guard Justin Mullins and the second security guard Jordan Clayton met 3-hitherto.

When Martinelli rose four minutes after the beginning of an offensive rebound, his jersey tore and had the junior put on a generic, uneven kit with number 66 and replace its legendary No. 2.

The leading scorer from Big Ten finally got out of the brand with a left -handed floater in the color with a left -handed floater. Martinelli added a tip from the glass and another floater to get within two points of the record.

With 4:56 in the first half, Martinelli was fouled and made a trip to the free -wire line, but he missed the front of the couple. After he had tied Shurna to the second free throw with a make, his pinball stood in Wildcat independence about a minute and a half later.

Martinelli's trip to the Pantheon of the Nu -Vertaisons was long and angry.

Before the start of the season, the team of coach Chris Collins ventured on a European tour. With Ty Berry, doctoral student Matthew Nicholson and Senior Guard Brooks Barnhizer, in various phases of recovery in injuries, Martinelli played a leading role in the NU offensive.

After the cats had completed their pre-season campaign with an 89-62 exhibition victory against Lewis in the Welsh-Ryan Arena, Collins spoke about high expectations of his striker.

“His next step is to be a guy every evening that you count on for a great production,” said Collins. “We expect Nick to have the chance to be an all-conference player. I feel that high about him. “

When the regular season started, it was immediately obvious that Martinelli had increased a step from the year before when he scored an average of 8.8 points per game and had entered the starting line -up for the team's last 11 games – including a few March madness competitions.

The unconventional south paw began its campaign with at least 25 points in the first three games from NU, including a season high of 32 points in a 71: 66 defeat against Dayton. In these three games, Martinelli was a perfect 7-on-7 area from the 3-point range and showed a new dimension of his game after he had only shot 27.1% out of the arch last season.

In addition to his nine 25 points this season, Martinelli's heroic deeds in the late game were the decisive factor for several competitions.

With only 0.7 seconds in the extension during the home game against Maryland on January 16, the two teams were knotted to 74 each when the GlenView, Illinois, received an in -depth pass from Jalen Leach from doctoral students. Since Martinelli had no time to examine his options, he started a trap jumper from the equalization. The Welsh arena broke out when his Summer Theater found nothing but network.

And yet Martinelli gave up his teammates and coaches according to his signature moment.

“The (game call) could have gone to Brooks, and he would probably have done it too,” said Martinelli. “But I am grateful that they went to me and I am only grateful that we won.”

Just a few weeks later, Martinelli's ability to act in moments of extreme pressure than his role in the team remained increasingly influential.

When the student guard of doctoral student Jalen Leach at the end of the second half of the game of the NU against the USC on February 5 on his right knee, after Barnhizer was excluded with an injury at the end of the end of the season, the goal options were limited in a game at the age of 75 when the last moments laid down.

When Collins Timeout called on the clock with 12 seconds, Barnhizers was simply to Martinelli: “You have to win it for us,” he said.

And Martinelli did it.

Collins praised Martinelli's advancement when the injuries at the end of Barnhizer and Leach brought him to the top of the opponents' scouting reports.

“Two people, two of our best players, and Nick Martinelli only said:” We will have a winning season. We will have a winning season, ”said Collins after the victory in Big Ten on Wednesday against Minnesota in Big Ten in Minnesota. “Because he has never had a lost season in Northwestern for him.”

In addition to his most program-fashioned points in a single season, Martinelli exceeded the most created goals of a NU player in one season and scored the title of the regular season with average with an average of 20.2 points per game.

“I told him that as a coach he is lucky who tells him that he should shoot it every time,” Collins joked before the team's trip to Indianapolis on Tuesday. “So he should give me part of the honor to give him this freedom.”

Since the short cats fought to keep their season alive in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, their prospects are strongly on Martinelli's shoulders. Despite this pressure, Collins emphasized his confidence in today's junior.

“I'm driving with his wave,” said Collins. “It is fun as a trainer when you ride the wave of a great player and let your heart lead his heart.”

This is a developing story that is updated after the Big Ten tournament game by Northwestern against No. 18 Wisconsin.

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