Northwestern defeats Valparaiso 86-70

Northwestern Cruises Past Valparaiso in Home Opener, 86-70

The Welsh-Ryan Arena saw a dominating performance from the Northwestern Wildcats as they took down visiting Valparaiso 86-70 in their home opener.

At halftime, Northwestern led by a margin of nine points (39-30), setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Wildcats continued to pull away in the second half, expanding their lead to as many as 24 points, with Arrinten Page leading the charge on both ends of the court. Jayden Reid chipped in with five assists, further solidifying Northwestern's control.

Northwestern's Nick Martinelli was a one-man show for the Wildcats, scoring 29 points on 1-for-4 three-point shooting and an impressive 63.2% field goal percentage. The senior guard's scoring prowess proved too much for Valparaiso to handle.

For Valparaiso, JT Pettigrew led the Crusaders in a losing effort, notching 13 points but struggling from beyond the arc with zero made three-pointers and shooting 37.5%. The team as a whole struggled on offense, making just 44% of their field goal attempts while committing 15 turnovers.

In contrast to Valparaiso's struggles, Northwestern showed significant improvement in its pace and efficiency metrics. The Wildcats outrebounded the Crusaders 33-31, with Arrinten Page grabbing seven rebounds and 18 points. Jayden Reid's five assists were a highlight of the game for Northwestern.

Northwestern's win gives them early momentum heading into their upcoming conference games, while Valparaiso will look to regroup after this tough road loss.