Northwestern men's basketball hosts Montana State, a defending NCAA Tournament team, in a historic first meeting on Tuesday at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats, coming off an overtime victory against Eastern Illinois, have a 3-1 record this season, led by Jalen Leach's recent standout performance. The game will be broadcast on BTN and featured on ESPN 1000 and SiriusXM Radio Channel 382. Montana State, the 2024 Big Sky Conference champions, enters the game with a 1-3 record, struggling on the road this season.

By the Numbers
  • Jalen Leach scored 27 points and hit 15-of-16 free throws in the last game.
  • Northwestern has a 4-2 record in overtime games over the last two seasons.
  • Nick Martinelli averages 25.3 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten.
State of Play
  • Northwestern has won 47 games over the last three seasons, ranking third among Big Ten schools.
  • Montana State is on a three-game losing streak after narrowly losing to Denver.
  • The Wildcats return a robust 62.3% of their minutes from the previous season.
What's Next

After the Montana State game, Northwestern will play Pepperdine on November 22 to complete a four-game homestand. Continued success will be crucial for seeding in future tournaments.

Bottom Line

With both teams looking to build momentum, the match-up presents a pivotal opportunity for Northwestern to solidify its strong start while Montana State seeks to turn its season around against a formidable opponent.