Could a third straight tournament berth be in the cards?
Coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history, Northwestern turns toward life without Boo Buie. Ahead of Northwestern’s exhibition match against Lewis on Wednesday, we tasked our staff with predicting Northwestern’s outlook for the upcoming season.
Adam Beck
Regular season record: 19-12 (10-10 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 12th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. Indiana (Jan. 22)
One bold prediction: Ty Berry leads the Big Ten in three-point percentage
You might need an annual check-up before this season kicks off, just so your doctor says your heart can handle the stress of this iteration of Northwestern basketball. Opening the season roughly on the NCAA Tournament’s bubble, the Wildcats’ biggest question is who can step up as that dynamic scorer in clutch situations. With the Wildcats’ tendency to play in rock fights, Northwestern needs its veteran core of Brooks Barnhizer, Ty Berry and Nick Martinelli to carry that load. However, lacking Boo Buie, the best player on the court in essentially any game, makes things challenging in a loaded Big Ten conference. The ‘Cats will be competitive, but I question if they have quite enough pure firepower to match their feisty defensive spirit.
Brendan Preisman
Regular season record: 20-11 (11-9 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 11th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. Illinois (Dec. 6)
One bold prediction: Nick Martinelli finishes top five in the Big Ten in rebounding
The big worry for this Wildcats squad obviously comes on offense. Sure, six of the top eight from last year are back, but the two that aren’t accounted for 71 of Northwestern’s 135 points in March Madness last year (that’s 53%, for those who are curious). Without Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg, Northwestern’s scoring pop takes a big hit, although having Ty Berry back and healthy should help with that. In Berry, Brooks Barnhizer, Martinelli and Matt Nicholson, Chris Collins has four probable starters with multiple years of experience in March Madness. That veteran leadership, along with the length that an addition like Jalen Leach can provide, makes this defense utterly frightening. A lineup of Leach, Berry, Barnhizer, Martinelli and Nicholson doesn’t have a single player under 6-foot-3, and that length and defensive acumen should be enough to get Collins and Co. back to the big dance.
Patrick Winograd
Regular season record: 20-11 (11-9 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 10th
Game you’re most looking forward to: at Oregon (Feb. 11)
One bold prediction: Brooks Barnhizer wins B1G Defensive Player of The Year
Northwestern is missing a ton of production heading into 2024-25 with the losses of Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg and everyone knows that. But the formula for replacing those two boils down to relying a little bit more on each of the players who still are on the roster this year. If Ty Berry, Brooks Barnhizer, Matthew Nicholson, Nick Martinelli and Co. can all take small leaps forward this year, and one or two of the newcomers (Jalen Leach, K.J. Windham, Angelo Ciaravino and Keenan Fitzmorris) can fill in the gaps on the roster, the Wildcats will be just fine in 2024-25. As long as the mentality for Northwestern is gaining small contributions from everywhere on the roster rather than big contributions from select places on the roster, the ‘Cats can be even better in 2024-25 than they were in 2023-24 if they can stay healthy.
Charlie Jacobs
Regular season record: 19-12 (10-10 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 11th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs Rutgers (Jan. 29)
One bold prediction: KJ Windham averages double-digit points
It will be strange not seeing Boo Buie in Northwestern purple, but the team has to move on. Brooks Barnhizer, Ty Berry, Nick Martinelli, Matthew Nicholson and Luke Hunger are all back to provide veteran leadership, plus the new additions of Jalen Leach and Keenan Fitzmorris who each have a lot of experience themselves. This year though sees Big Ten Basketball being tougher than ever with the additions of UCLA, Oregon and USC. Chris Collins is everything this Northwestern program can ask for, but this year feels more like a transition into the future. Freshman Angelo Ciaravino and K.J. Windham are good pieces for the future and 2024-25 will be a huge test for this team. If the ‘Cats can see similar success to last season which was plagued with the injury bug, the future for this team looks bright in the next few years.
Eliav Brooks-Rubin
Regular season record: 21-10 (11-9 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 8th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. USC (Feb. 4)
One bold prediction: KJ Windham starts double-digit games
Get ready for chaos. There should be three or four teams who rise above the pack in the Big Ten (Purdue, Illinois, Indiana and UCLA are my picks) and a few who disappoint (Washington, Penn State and Minnesota come to mind), but the middle of the conference is a blob of 11 or 12 teams who should finish within a game of .500.
The ‘Cats will play a radically different style of basketball than they did last season. A year ago, Northwestern was a small, floor-spacing team with an all-world point guard in Buie who was trusted implicitly with the ball in his hands to get a bucket or make the right pass. This year, Northwestern will start and finish big, long and switchable defensively, with question marks regarding who makes the first pass or takes the last shot offensively. It’ll be a bumpy, blood pressure-raising, heart-stopping season but ultimately, the leadership of Chris Collins and the plethora of effective elder statesmen should do just enough to squeak Northwestern into the tail end of the at-large field come Selection Sunday.
Miguel Muñoz
Regular season record: 20-11 (9-11 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 13th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. Indiana (Jan. 22)
One bold prediction: Justin Mullins becomes the first man off the bench
The Big Ten has only become more cutthroat, with the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington adding to what was already known as one of the strongest conferences in college basketball. For Northwestern, the game plan is likely to be drastically different from ones we’ve seen in years past. However, that may play to the team’s advantage: between Brooks Barnhizer, Ty Berry and Jalen Leach, the ‘Cats have a plethora of scoring options to rely on this year. The only question is, who’s gonna step up when they need that final shot? That remains to be seen. Defensively, the ‘Cats remain relatively strong in both the frontcourt and backcourt. Matt Nicholson and Luke Hunger ought to remain anchors in the paint, but if Jordan Clayton, Justin Mullins, Blake Smith and others can step up, the Wildcats could surprise a lot of people. I expect NU to grab its fair share of upset wins as per usual, but an absolute gauntlet of a schedule will prove too much for Northwestern to sneak into the tourney.
Ascher Levin
Regular season record: 20-11 (11-9 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 8th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. Illinois (Dec. 3)
One bold prediction: NU makes the tournament for the third straight year, reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time
While Northwestern’s return to the tournament may not seem like a bold prediction after its last two appearances, NU faces a challenging road ahead in the conference. With No. 22 UCLA and fringe top-25 team Oregon joining the conference, the level of competition has increased. Despite finishing 2nd and 3rd in the Big Ten the past two seasons, the ‘Cats have been disrespected once again and are projected to finish 16th this year. The losses of Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg hurt, but the team is still bringing back a lot of talent with Brooks Barnhizer leading the charge.
Although NU lacks a traditional point guard, Barnhizer and Fairfield transfer Jalen Leach are poised to share playmaking duties effectively. Leach brings valuable scoring and shooting abilities, and fans should hope he can help fill some of the void left by Langborg. Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson’s return from injury will also be invaluable as the fifth-year seniors are foundational pieces. The additions of Angelo Ciaravino and KJ Windham are also promising. Ciaravino adds a level of athleticism that NU lacked last year, while Windham has proven to be a sharpshooter in the overseas games and in practice.
Finding a reliable closer will be essential for replicating last season’s clutch finishes, particularly in tight games. Northwestern has the opportunity to achieve something special this year, and I think they have the pieces to do so.
Wyatt Audler
Regular Season Record: 18-13 (11-9 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 9th
Game you’re most looking forward to: at Purdue (Jan. 5)
One bold prediction: Northwestern will have five players averaging double-digit points per game
While Northwestern’s defense will be a looming question heading into the season without Boo Buie to pester the perimeter, the offense is a far more interesting situation. Nobody will fill the Buie-sized hole in scoring (19 ppg) individually, but as a team, Northwestern can match that loss. With the departure of Northwestern’s leading and third-leading scorer last season (Buie and Langborg), other players will need to step up. Look for Brooks Barnhizer, Ty Berry and Jalen Leach to split that scoring load. Chris Collins will also need to get his bigs Nick Martinelli and Matthew Nicholson a greater share of the scoring duties as well. Without a clear number-one option on any night, look for the Wildcats to practice a more communal offense. However, this could pose a problem when closing games. The lack of “star power” can make it unclear whose responsibility it is to take over. Regardless, this Wildcats team is packed with talent and can compete with nearly anyone on a nightly basis.
Natalie Wells
Regular Season Record: 18-13 (10-10 B1G)
Big Ten finish: 13th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs. UCLA (March 3)
One bold prediction: Jalen Leach averages at least two steals per game
Without Boo Buie, there’s a major question as to who Chris Collins will trust to take the final shot in games. The ‘Cats are attempting to replace the former stalwart by committee, with grad transfer Jalen Leach and first-year K.J. Windham taking the reins. Leach will face a steep learning curve after four years against MAAC competition, but I’m banking on a defensive breakout season from him. For all of those Buie-related concerns, the frontcourt looks great in terms of depth and continuity. The Barnhizer-Berry-Nicholson trio is frightening on defense, and up-and-coming reserves like Blake Smith helm the bench. This isn’t an easy schedule by any stretch of the imagination, but the new-look ‘Cats are ready to compete.
Sai Trivedi
Regular Season Record: 19-12 (11-9 BIG)
Big Ten finish: 10th
Game you’re most looking forward to: vs Indiana (Jan. 22)
One bold prediction: K.J Windham will be in the starting lineup by the end of the season
The Wildcats this season are essentially a ship full of sailors without a captain. The loss of Boo Buie and Ryan Langborg hurts, but what will make the ‘Cats season even more difficult is the expansion of the Big Ten and a major boost in competition level. Northwestern has weapons on both sides of the ball, as I expect big things from Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer, and Jalen Leach will bring a host of skills and offensive prowess to Northwestern. Ty Berry’s return from injury will also be a welcome sight for the ‘Cats, and they’ll look to K.J Windham as the young star who will be trusted with a big role early and often. But again, not having that “head of the snake” superstar will be an adjustment, but I trust Chris Collins to find his next leader and work with the players he has. They’ll beat the teams they’re supposed to beat and certainly achieve an upset or two, but with the amount of good teams they’ll be facing it’s tough to envision a third straight tournament appearance.