Nick Martinelli scored 22 points to help Northwestern steamroll Jackson State 93-53 on Saturday, giving Chris Collins his 200th victory as Wildcats coach.
Martinelli’s layup 44 seconds after tipoff gave Northwestern a lead it never relinquished at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. Angelo Ciaravino scored 13 points in 18 minutes and Arrinten Page added 12 points for the Wildcats (6-4), who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Daeshun Ruffin’s 20 points led the Tigers (1-9), who shot just 29% compared with Northwestern’s 50%. The Wildcats were dominant on the glass, grabbing 45 rebounds to Jackson State’s 29. They also scored 34 points in the paint and 19 points off fast breaks. The Wildcats shot 50% from the field and held JSU to 29%.
Collins, 51, is the second coach in school history to reach the 200-win mark, joining Dutch Lonborg (234). Collins, who grew up in Northbrook and starred at Glenbrook North and Duke, took over at Northwestern in 2013 and has led the Wildcats to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Up next
- Northwestern hosts Valparaiso on Tuesday.
- Jackson State faces Hampton on Thursday in Atlanta in the Chris Paul HBCU Classic.
