NCAAB · Final

Gophers Edge Wildcats in Nail-Biter Finish

Saturday, March 7, 2026, 9:00 PM ET · Williams Arena

Minnesota Golden Gophers 67, Northwestern Wildcats 66, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

Next free pick (not the main pick)

The next free pick, for your email

Team, bet, price and the hash it was sealed under, on this page the moment you send. Lose or win, it stays public.

Unlock today's pick in Telegram →

or by email

Public record of the main pick, losses included: 115 won, 44 lost. See every pick

One free pick a day by email until you unsubscribe, in one click. 21+.

Get the daily free pick · See plans

Quick answers

Who won Northwestern Wildcats vs Minnesota Golden Gophers?

Minnesota Golden Gophers beat Northwestern Wildcats 67-66 at Williams Arena on March 7, 2026.

Who was favored in Northwestern Wildcats vs Minnesota Golden Gophers?

Minnesota Golden Gophers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -205 (about 67% implied). The favorite won.

In a thrilling contest at Williams Arena, the Minnesota Golden Gophers narrowly defeated the Northwestern Wildcats with a final score of 67-66. This matchup was significant as both teams entered the game with a similar record, but Minnesota's home advantage ultimately played a crucial role in their victory. The Gophers concluded their season with a record of 15-16, while the Wildcats finished at 13-18.

The recent form of both teams showcased their struggles leading up to this game. Minnesota had a record of 4-6 in their last 10 games, with an average of 66.6 points scored and 68.5 points allowed. Their last game was a loss against the Indiana Hoosiers, where they fell 47-77. However, they had managed to secure a win against the UCLA Bruins just prior, winning 78-73 at home. In their last five games, the Gophers recorded a 3-2 record, averaging 66.6 points scored and 66.4 points allowed.

On the other hand, Northwestern also posted a 4-6 record in their last 10 games, averaging 67.3 points scored but allowing a higher average of 73.8 points. Their most recent outing was a loss to the Purdue Boilermakers, where they lost 66-70. The Wildcats had a mixed bag of results, including a notable win against the Indiana Hoosiers (72-68) and a loss to the Maryland Terrapins (74-78) in their previous five games, where they averaged 65.6 points scored and 68.4 points allowed.

When looking at home and away performances, Minnesota had a home record of 3-1 in their last four home games, while Northwestern struggled with a 1-3 record in their last four away games. This disparity in home and away performance likely contributed to the Gophers' slight edge in this matchup.

In terms of previous meetings, Minnesota had faced Northwestern three times in the past two seasons, with a record of 1-2 against them. Their last encounter was a win for the Wildcats on January 3, 2026, where they triumphed 84-78. The Gophers had lost the two prior meetings, including a 64-72 defeat at home in March 2025 and a 63-75 loss at home in February 2025.

Injury reports indicated that both teams were relatively healthy for this matchup, allowing them to field their best lineups. This factor often plays a pivotal role in close games, as teams rely on their key players to perform.

The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Minnesota favored by 4.5 points, with a total set at 133.5. The odds reflected a competitive matchup, with Minnesota's money line at -205 and Northwestern's at +170. This pricing indicated that the Gophers were expected to win, but the close odds suggested that a tightly contested game was anticipated.

The conditions at Williams Arena were typical for a late-season college basketball game, with a charged atmosphere as fans rallied behind the home team. The excitement was palpable, and the close score throughout the game kept spectators on the edge of their seats.

As the game progressed, several key moments defined the outcome. In the second half, Langston Reynolds made pivotal free throws that brought the Wildcats within striking distance, while a clutch three-pointer from Jordan Clayton gave Northwestern a brief lead at 64-63. However, Minnesota responded with a driving layup from Reynolds that sealed the game.

Overall, this matchup highlighted the competitive nature of college basketball, where every game can come down to the wire. The Gophers' ability to close out the game at home against a familiar foe will be a moment they cherish as they look to build on this victory moving forward.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	MINN -4.5	133.5 o -108 / u -112	Northwestern Wildcats +170 · Minnesota Golden Gophers -205

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsLangston Reynolds21Minnesota Golden Gophers
AssistsGrayson Grove6Minnesota Golden Gophers
ReboundsIsaac Asuma8Minnesota Golden Gophers
PointsNick Martinelli23Northwestern Wildcats
AssistsJordan Clayton6Northwestern Wildcats
ReboundsNick Martinelli9Northwestern Wildcats

Recent form

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Last 10: 4-6Streak L166.6 scored · 68.5 allowed per game3-1 at home

L47-77at Indiana HoosiersMar 4
W78-73vs UCLA BruinsFeb 28
L67-77at Michigan WolverinesFeb 25
W80-61vs Rutgers Scarlet KnightsFeb 21
W61-44at Oregon DucksFeb 18
L57-69at Washington HuskiesFeb 15
L62-67vs Maryland TerrapinsFeb 8
W76-73vs Michigan State SpartansFeb 5
L75-77at Penn State Nittany LionsFeb 1
L63-67at Wisconsin BadgersJan 29

Northwestern Wildcats

Last 10: 4-6Streak L167.3 scored · 73.8 allowed per game1-3 away

L66-70vs Purdue BoilermakersMar 5
W63-62vs Oregon DucksFeb 28
W72-68at Indiana HoosiersFeb 25
W78-74vs Maryland TerrapinsFeb 19
L49-68at Nebraska CornhuskersFeb 14
L75-87vs Michigan WolverinesFeb 12
L70-76at Iowa HawkeyesFeb 8
L44-84at Illinois Fighting IlliniFeb 5
L62-76vs Washington HuskiesFeb 1
W94-73vs Penn State Nittany LionsJan 30

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Michigan	37-3	-	19-1
Nebraska	28-7	4	15-5
Michigan State	27-8	4	15-5
Illinois	28-9	4	15-5
Wisconsin	24-11	5	14-6
Purdue	30-9	6	13-7
UCLA	24-12	6	13-7
Ohio State	21-13	7	12-8
Iowa	24-13	9	10-10
Indiana	18-14	10	9-11
Minnesota	15-18	11	8-12
USC	18-14	12	7-13
Washington	16-17	12	7-13
Rutgers	14-20	13	6-14
Northwestern	15-19	14	5-15
Oregon	12-20	14	5-15
Maryland	12-21	15	4-16
Penn State	12-20	16	3-17

Box score

Stat	Northwestern Wildcats	Minnesota Golden Gophers
Field goals	23-53	24-44
Field goal %	43	55
Three-pointers	8-23	6-17
Three-point %	35	35
Free throws	12-14	13-16
Free throw %	86	81
Rebounds	28	26
Offensive rebounds	13	7
Defensive rebounds	15	19
Assists	18	16
Steals	3	6
Blocks	1	0
Turnovers	8	11
Team turnovers	1	3
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	15	16
Fast-break points	10	2
Points in the paint	24	34
Fouls	15	11
Largest lead	3	16
Lead changes	2	2
Time in front	3	95

How the scoring went

1st Half25-37Nick Martinelli makes 17-foot jumper (Jordan Clayton assists)
1st Half27-37Jake West makes driving layup
1st Half28-37Justin Mullins makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Half29-37Justin Mullins makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Half29-38Isaac Asuma makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Half29-39Isaac Asuma makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half29-41Langston Reynolds makes driving layup
2nd Half29-42Langston Reynolds makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half29-44Langston Reynolds makes driving layup (Grayson Grove assists)
2nd Half32-44Jake West makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tre Singleton assists)
2nd Half32-46Langston Reynolds makes driving layup
2nd Half34-46Tre Singleton makes driving layup (Nick Martinelli assists)
2nd Half34-48Langston Reynolds makes driving layup
2nd Half36-48Tre Singleton makes 17-foot jumper (Jordan Clayton assists)
2nd Half39-48Jake West makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tre Singleton assists)
2nd Half41-48Tre Singleton makes layup
2nd Half41-51Isaac Asuma makes 22-foot three point jumper (Bobby Durkin assists)
2nd Half42-51Justin Mullins makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half43-51Justin Mullins makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half43-53Langston Reynolds makes driving layup
2nd Half45-53Nick Martinelli makes driving layup (Justin Mullins assists)
2nd Half45-55Cade Tyson makes layup (Isaac Asuma assists)
2nd Half48-55Jake West makes 26-foot three point jumper (Justin Mullins assists)
2nd Half48-58Bobby Durkin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Langston Reynolds assists)
2nd Half50-58Nick Martinelli makes layup (Tre Singleton assists)
2nd Half51-58Nick Martinelli makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half53-58Tre Singleton makes 1-foot dunk (Jayden Reid assists)
2nd Half53-60Cade Tyson makes layup (Grayson Grove assists)
2nd Half53-61Cade Tyson makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half56-61Nick Martinelli makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tre Singleton assists)
2nd Half58-61Nick Martinelli makes layup (Jake West assists)
2nd Half59-61Nick Martinelli makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half59-62Langston Reynolds makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half59-63Langston Reynolds makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half61-63Nick Martinelli makes 14-foot step back jumpshot
2nd Half64-63Jordan Clayton makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jake West assists)
2nd Half65-63Angelo Ciaravino makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half66-63Angelo Ciaravino makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half66-65Langston Reynolds makes 2-foot dunk
2nd Half66-67Langston Reynolds makes driving layup

Win probability

Above the line favours Minnesota Golden Gophers, below favours Northwestern Wildcats.