In its exhibition game, the Wildcats used a strong second half to race past Lewis, 89-62 last Wednesday night (Oct. 30). Junior forward Nick Martinelli led the team in scoring (25), rebounding (6) and assists (5) while playing 32 minutes. In his first game in a Northwestern uniform, Jalen Leach posted 20 points, 14 of which came in the second half on 5-of-6 shooting. Junior Justin Mullins posted eight points, four steals, five rebounds, and a plus-minus of +30 in the contest.
Last season, Northwestern reached the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, recording a 22-12 overall and 12-8 in Big Ten Conference record in back-to-back seasons. The Wildcats logged consecutive top three Big Ten finishes (t-2nd in 2022- 23, t-3rd in 2023-24) for the first time since 1958-59 (t-2nd) and 1959-60 (t-3rd). The Wildcats tied the program record by winning 21 regular season games (2016-17, 2022-23, 2023-24). Northwestern tied its program record for Big Ten wins in a season with 12.
Over the last two seasons, Northwestern has won 44 total games, which ranks third among Big Ten schools, trailing Purdue (59) and Illinois (45). NU has won 24 Big Ten Conference games over the last two seasons, trailing only the same two teams.
Sullivan-Ubben Head Coach Chris Collins enters his 12th season at the helm of the ‘Cats and his 177 wins rank third most by a head coach in program history. The unanimous 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Collins has guided the team to back-to-back 20+ win campaigns. Of the six 20 or more win seasons in school history, Collins has recorded four of them (2015-16, 2016-17, 2022-23, 2023-24). Over the last two seasons, the Wildcats have won 24 Big Ten Conference games, their most ever in back-to-back seasons in school history, surpassing 20 wins encompassing the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons.
The ‘Cats return three cornerstones entering their final year with the program — senior Brooks Barnhizer and graduate students Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson. Barnhizer and Berry started in each appearance they made last season, while Nicholson started in all but five. The three will serve as Northwestern’s captains for the 2024-25 season as selected by their teammates. Nick Martinelli and Luke Hunger both started double-digit games last season and became key components of Northwestern’s rotation through the season. Both were starters in Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament First Round 77-65 overtime win over Florida Atlantic.
Joining the ‘Cats this season will be first-years K.J. Windham and Angelo Ciaravino, along with transfer graduate students Jalen Leach and Keenan Fitzmorris. Leach enters the program from Fairfield, where he is coming off an All-MAAC First Team selection, averaging 16.2 points per game. Fitzmorris arrives to Evanston after spending two years at Stony Brook, where he was named to the CAA All-Conference Tournament Team last season.
The Wildcats have won their last four home openers and are 10-1 during the Chris Collins era. Northwestern has won 15 of its last 16 home openers overall. Northwestern is 2-0 all-time against Lehigh and 13-1 all-time against current Patriot League members. The ‘Cats and Mountain Hawks most recently met in the 2005-06 season opener at the BCA Invitational in Laramie, Wyoming. Vedran Vukusic scored 25 points and NU came back from a 12-point deficit to defeat Lehigh, 61-59.
Lehigh enters the 2024-25 season on the heels of an appearance in the 2024 Patriot League Tournament Championship, falling to Colgate, 74-55. The Mountain Hawks return five players who started in 15 or more games, including two All-Patriot League honorees in Tyler Whitney-Sidney and Keith Higgins Jr.
Northwestern will hit the road for the first time in the 2024-25 season to take on Dayton on Saturday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+ and WGN Radio 720.
