Can the Wildcats take down the Huskies and extend their win streak to four games?
After an extended holiday break following its emphatic 84-64 victory over cross-town rival DePaul last Saturday, Northwestern (9-3, 1-1 B1G) returns to action at home on Sunday afternoon against Northeastern (8-4, 0-0 CAA). In a matchup sure to spark some directional déjà vu, the Huskies provide a final non-conference test for Chris Collins’ team before Big Ten play resumes. Sunday’s game offers the Wildcats a chance to fine-tune their play ahead of the rigorous conference schedule that awaits in the new year. Here are three keys for Northwestern in Sunday’s tilt against Northeastern.
Slow Down Rashad King
The Huskies’ improvement from last season’s forgettable 12-win campaign owes much to the emergence of Rashad King. The Georgia native has taken a significant step forward, boosting his scoring average from 8.3 points per game last year to 17.7 points per game this season, ranking fifth in the CAA. But King isn’t just a scorer. Standing at 6-foot-6, the versatile guard impacts every facet of the game, averaging 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, all while shooting 51.3% from the field. Quietly, he’s become one of mid-major basketball’s best-kept secrets, but with numbers like these, it’s clear Northeastern relies heavily on his production.
When King is at his best — scoring 20 points or more — the Huskies are a tough matchup, boasting a 3-1 record under coach Bill Coen. However, when opponents disrupt King’s rhythm, Northeastern’s offense struggles to find consistent answers. In what was arguably Northeastern’s biggest game of the season, Princeton exposed that reliance, holding King to just 3-of-10 shooting. While he still contributed 13 assists and five rebounds, the Huskies’ offense lacked its usual cohesion, and Princeton secured a hard-fought 79-76 victory. If Collins were wise, he’d borrow a page from the playbook of former Northwestern assistant and current Princeton coach Mitch Henderson to neutralize King and test the Huskies’ supporting cast.
Get Ty Berry Going
After a torn meniscus ended his season early last year, Ty Berry seemed primed for a breakout campaign. The Kansas native was shooting a career-high 43.3% from beyond the arc and averaging 11.6 points per game, establishing himself as a key player in Collins’ system. However, this season, Berry has struggled to regain that level of performance and has yet to rediscover his rhythm as a sharpshooter.
The results have been inconsistent — five games with three points or fewer, compared to just three such performances in 23 appearances last season. Still, Berry has shown flashes of potential, as he did in Northwestern’s gut-wrenching 80-79 loss to Iowa, where he poured in a season-high 20 points. The challenge for Berry has been sustaining that level of play, and with a pivotal Big Ten stretch looming, his consistency will be critical.
Sunday’s final non-conference matchup against Northeastern presents an ideal opportunity for Berry to regain his rhythm. When Berry is locked in from deep, Northwestern’s offense transforms into a multi-dimensional threat. A strong performance on Sunday could not only erase the sting of his three-point outing against DePaul but also give the Wildcats a crucial boost heading into conference play. For Northwestern to reach its full potential and secure a third straight tournament berth, Berry’s consistency and production must improve.
Unleash Jalen Leach
The Huskies’ stellar defensive pair of King and Harold Woods has been wreaking havoc all season, and they’ll aim to shut down Northwestern’s dynamic duo of Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer. If successful, it will put pressure on Jalen Leach, the Wildcats’ third option, to deliver under pressure.
The Fairfield transfer has been the ultimate X-factor for Northwestern this season. When Leach finds his rhythm and scores 12 or more points, Collins’ squad remains an unblemished 9-0 — a stat that practically screams his importance. Conversely, when Leach is held to 9 points or fewer, the Wildcats are winless at 0-3. While his performances have often been overshadowed by the brilliance of Barnhizer and Martinelli, Leach’s quiet consistency has been the foundation of Northwestern’s success and will be critical to their gameplan against the Huskies.