Men’s basketball player previews: Jalen Leach

The Fairfield transfer is a much-needed addition to a thin Northwestern backcourt.

Who he is

5th-year senior; 6-foot-4; from Nyack, New York; transfer guard from Fairfield

2023-2024 stats

32 games (29 starts), 32.8 minutes per game, 16.2 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per games, 3.0 assists per game, 0.1 blocks per game, 1.8 steals per game, 48.8% FG, 35.4% 3P, 89.5% FT

2023-2024 review

In an era of college basketball defined by constant moves from team to team, Jalen Leach stayed faithful to the school that believed in him in Fairfield, staying put for all four years of his undergraduate career. And it paid off: after being unable to break seven points per game in each of his first three years with the Stags, Leach put himself on the map with a monster senior season in which he was Fairfield’s one of the squad’s most effective players while placing fifth in scoring in the entire MAAC.

It was a slow start for the New York-born guard, but Leach was finally able to break out towards the end of November with a 25-point effort against New Hampshire which began a eight-game stretch during which he averaged over 18 points per game on 50% shooting. From then on, Leach became much more involved in the offense for head coach Chris Casey and Co. Leach would go on to have 12 more 20-point games, leading Fairfield to a second-place finish in the conference (20-11, 14-6 in the MAAC) and earning himself First-Team All-MAAC honors.

With his team in a great position to compete for a tournament bid, Leach looked determined to bring the Stags to their first March Madness since 1997. In the quarterfinals and semifinals against Iona and Marist, respectively, Leach averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and three steals per contest, taking Fairfield to a championship matchup against fifth-seeded Saint Peter’s. Leach was ultimately unable to come through when it mattered most, though, shooting just 4-for-11 and dropping 8 points in a five-point loss that ended his season.

With his career at Fairfield finally up, Leach elected to enter the transfer portal. He committed to Northwestern on Apr. 22, immediately becoming the crown jewel of the Wildcats’ 2024 transfer group.

Strengths

Leach was a huge get for Collins, mainly due to his ability to spark the offense into action. Once he got his shot going in his senior year, Leach broke out for Fairfield consistently throughout the season, sprinkling in huge nights where it seemed like the Nyack native just couldn’t miss. That microwave ability will be desperately needed on this year’s Wildcat squad, which is lacking offensive firepower outside of Leach and fellow fifth-year Ty Berry. And it doesn’t hurt to have eye-popping athleticism, either, as Leach has shown he’s someone who can jump out of the gym.

Not only is Leach someone who can get hot quick, but his experience will be huge for Northwestern this season. For much of last year, Collins was forced to rely on young talent when Boo Buie checked out of the game, oftentimes leading to a stagnant offense plagued with unforced turnovers and poor shots. Leach will provide the ‘Cats with a breath of fresh air; by his last season in Fairfield, Leach had an assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly two-to-one, and shot almost 90% from the free-throw line. In late-game situations, having a guy like Leach will be massive for Collins, especially amidst an unrelenting Big Ten landscape.

Weaknesses

On the more unfortunate side of Leach’s game, just as quickly as he can heat up, so too can he go ice-cold, especially from three-point land. Although Leach was a respectable 35.4% from deep last season, he had his fair share of ugly showings, including the Stags’ three-game stretch in the MAAC Tournament during which he shot a combined 0-for-12. With Northwestern set to face four currently ranked opponents, Leach will need to step up and be a reliable scorer in the game’s biggest moments.

The only other issue for Leach right now has to be the concerns on how well he will be able to transition to a power-conference schedule. Throughout four years at Fairfield, Leach only played against a total of four Power-5 opponents, with his last game coming against Xavier in November of 2022. An entire offseason should have helped him prepare well for that transition, but it still remains to be seen just how well Leach will be able to make that jump and fully impact the game as he did in the MAAC.

Expectations

Overall, expect a solid season from Jalen Leach: it’s unlikely he’ll be one of the top scoring contributors on the team, nor will he be “the guy” for Chris Collins, but he is sure to make some serious noise in what will likely be a playmaker-shooter role that we’ve seen from Berry in years past.

Leach’s biggest role will most likely be his duties guiding the offense and weathering the storm that will surely come, especially when on the road. Making the jump from a MAAC to B1G school won’t come easy, and we may see some shaky games from Leach early on; but by the time conference play rolls around in early January, Leach should be comfortable enough in his role to make a positive impact for Northwestern.