The game seemed almost over when No. 19 Illinois took a 46-36 lead over Northwestern on a three-pointer by Kasparas Jakucionis with 10:01 left.

It was just one of many huge three-pointers Jakucionis hit in the second half that were obviously designed to benefit the Illini.

But Northwestern responded — again and again — with veterans Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli and Portal newcomer Jalen Leach refusing to be pushed aside. Barnhizer was everywhere on both ends. Martinelli continued to score and finished with 27 points. Leach made timely contributions.

Somehow the Wildcats (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten) made it to overtime on a night when they shot just 4 of 21 through three games. Martinelli scored seven goals in the extra session as his team recovered from a crushing last-second loss at Iowa and the Illini (6-2) failed to seal victory in their Big Ten opener.

“We knew we had to win,” Wildcats coach Chris Collins said. “You have two of these games coming up. In the worst case scenario, you have to be 1-1 to stay there.”

On a brutal shooting night – Illinois managed just nine of 35 long balls, six of them from Jakucionis – the mood changed when the Illini hit a beautiful basket with 2:51 left in the first half. First, 18-year-old Lithuanian Jakucionis hit a one-handed pass around a Martinelli-Matthew Nicholson double team to 7-1 Croatian Tomislav Ivisic — another first-year Illini player — who bounced into the lane. Ivisic, a left-handed hitter, then used his outside hand to flip a behind-the-back pass that separated defenders Jalen Leach and Barnhizer. On the baseline, 18-year-old Canadian Will Riley took the ridiculously smooth penny and reversed.

But Barnhizer kept the Wildcats alive through critical stretches with his physical play and booty ball, creating space and shots by holding off defenders who couldn’t handle him. And Martinelli, not the best goalscorer – but relentless – was hugely effective with his deft left-hander.

Illinois’ Riley, Ben Humrichous and Kylan Boswell combined to miss 17 of 18 three-point attempts. And a calling card of Brad Underwood’s teams – offensive rebounds – was nowhere to be found.

“We need to find some guys tough enough to do this,” Underwood said.

“You can either accept it or learn from it. And in this program we don’t accept defeat.”

But Northwestern has now won three straight at home in this rivalry. Illinois has won the other nine of the last 12 meetings overall.

“Northwestern is really good,” Underwood said. “People need to wake up and realize that this is a good basketball team with a great basketball coach, and it’s really difficult to play there. Kudos to them.”