Northwestern men's basketball opens season with 70-47 win over Mercyhurst

Loyola secured a dramatic 91-88 victory over Cleveland State, highlighted by Deywilk Tavarez's game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, marking their first game since the death of their longtime chaplain Sister Jean. Tavarez, along with teammates Kayde Dotson and Miles Rubin, each scored 16 points in the contest. Meanwhile, Northwestern began its 2025-26 season with a commanding 70-47 win over Mercyhurst, led by Arrinten Page's debut double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds and Nick Martinelli's 17 points. K.J. Windham contributed 11 points off the bench, while Northwestern's defense was notable for holding Mercyhurst to just 30% shooting and an extremely low 3-point percentage of 5.6%. Northwestern controlled the game's pace throughout, maintaining a lead for all but the first 17 seconds and finishing with a strong rebounding advantage. These season openers showcased promising starts for both Loyola and Northwestern in the college basketball season.