Leach scores season-high 25 points to lead Northwestern past Eastern Illinois 67-58 in OT

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Jalen Leach scored a season-high 27 points and Nick Martinelli added 16 points and Northwestern needed overtime to beat Eastern Illinois 67-58 on Friday night.

The Wildcats (3-1) held Eastern Illinois (1-3) scoreless in the extra session. Leach scored the last seven points in regulation for Northwestern and the last five points in overtime.

The Panthers Nakyel Shelton hit a running jumper in the lane with 31 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 58. Northwestern missed three-shot attempts in the final four seconds as the game went to overtime.

Leach, a graduate transfer from Fairfield, shot just 5 of 12, including 2 of 7 from 3-point range, but made up for it going 13 of 14 from the free throw line. He started the game averaging just more than 10 points per contest.

Ty Berry added 10 points for Northwestern and Matt Nicholson grabbed 12 rebounds.

Shelton scored 19 points and Kooper Jacobi 14 for Eastern Illinois.

Martinelli entered as the first Northwestern player to score 25-plus points in three consecutive games since John Shurna did it in 2010. He started the game as the Big Ten scoring leader and ranked sixth nationally averaging 28.3 points per game.

On Friday, he shot 6 of 12 and missed his lone 3 attempt.

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