The long wait is over.
Chris Collins has his big man.
On Thursday night, Cincinnati transfer forward Arrinten Page committed to Northwestern via his Instagram. The 6’11 sophomore comes to Evanston with two years of eligibility left, and he fils a significant gap on the Wildcats’ roster.
Page averaged 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds on 49.4% shooting during the 2024-25 season for the Bearcats. He was ESPN’s No. 38-ranked prospect as a recruit, and he committed to USC out of high school before transferring to Cincinnati for his sophomore season.
Stuck behind junior Dillon Mitchell and senior Aziz Bandaogo in a crowded big man room, Page played just 9.0 minutes per game in Cincinnati. He did not see the floor in Cincinnati’s two games in the Big 12 tournament.
As a freshman at USC, Page averaged similar numbers of 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds at a 49.2% clip.
The 6’11 forward is a bit of an interesting prospect — and very much a deviation from the traditional transfer prospects Northwestern fans come to expect under Collins. After consecutive seasons bringing in graduate transfers from mid-major schools, Northwestern’s decision to bring in Page, a sophomore from the Big 12 program, signifies a program moving in a different direction. Each of the three members of Northwestern’s transfer class have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Page will be a project for Collins and his staff. He is an elite athlete with an ability to finish strong at the rim and is a highlight tape chock-full of acrobatic blocks in the paint, but his talent alone was not enough to carve out a big-time role in Los Angeles or Cincinnati. Page also has a smooth jump shot from three when he decides to let one fly, and he is 9-of-25 from downtown in his career.
With Matt Nicholson and Keenan Fitzmorris graduating and Luke Hunger transferring to George Washington, Northwestern lacked experience in the post — its only player taller than 6’7 was incoming freshman Cade Bennerman. Page’s transfer solves an immediate need.
Pages also fills the Wildcats’ final scholarship spot for the 2025-26 season. His commitment means that, barring anything unusual, Northwestern’s squad is all set.