Northwestern men’s basketball previews 2024-25: Reserves

Who will be supporting the top nine in the rotation this season?

We’re less than a month away from college basketball. Sound the alarms! Before the ‘Cats tip off against Lehigh on Nov. 4, Inside NU is previewing every player on Chris Collins’ squad. With that being said, let’s take a look at the reserves for the men’s basketball team this season.

F Blake Barkley

The 6-foot-7 forward redshirted in his first year on campus in 2023, a prudent decision considering NU’s depth at the position. Hailing from Morgantown, W. Va., Barkley visited only Akron before committing to the ‘Cats in October of his senior year. Rivals.com listed Barkley as a three-star prospect in high school, and he also received offers from programs like Drake and St. Bonaventure. He should be ready to contribute to the second unit after a full offseason of skill work and building his frame.

G Angelo Ciaravino

One of two first-years from the recruiting class of 2024, Ciaravino played his high school basketball at Mount Carmel. The Chicago native was rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and drew the interest of Power Four programs like Nebraska and Stanford. In his senior season, Ciaravino was named to the 1st Team All-City by the Chicago Sun-Times after averaging almost 16 points per game. He stands at 6-foot-5 and has good length for his position, which could help him earn some minutes this season.

C Keenan Fitzmorris

Fitzmorris will fill some much-needed depth at center behind Matthew Nicholson and Luke Hunger. After four years at Stanford, he enjoyed two productive seasons at Stony Brook. In 2023, Fitzmorris averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds on 50.9% shooting and was named to the CAA All-Conference Tournament Team. He’s solid inside with a hook shot in his arsenal. While it’s not his strength, Fitzmorris can also knock down shots outside the paint — he hit nine of his 27 three-point attempts last year.

F Gus Hurlburt

The pride of North Dakota, Hurlburt saw his first few minutes of action as a redshirt first-year last season. The 6-foot-9 forward scored his first points as a ‘Cat last December in a blowout win over Detroit Mercy and played garbage-time minutes in three conference games. Hurlburt received an offer from North Dakota in ninth grade but decided to commit to NU as a preferred walk-on. The Enderlin native might not see meaningful minutes, but his work ethic will set an excellent example for Northwestern’s newcomers.

G K.J. Windham

The second first-year on Chris Collins’ squad, Windham was a three-star prospect out of high school in Indianapolis. The 6-foot-3 combo guard was ranked as the No. 2 player in Indiana and No. 18 at his position nationally. As a senior in high school, Windham averaged 15.4 points and 1.3 steals per game. He’s a crafty guard, but he might not see many minutes this year. Nonetheless, Windham will get the opportunity to learn behind veterans like Jalen Leach.