'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Northwestern opens the 2024-25 college basketball season determined to make its third-straight NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a 22-12 record, winning their first-round assignment against Florida Atlantic before losing to back-to-back national champion UConn.
In his 12th season as Northwestern coach, Chris Collins assembled a solid team ready to compete in the expanded Big Ten. Here's an inside look into the Wildcats' 2024-25 campaign, from their biggest games to the key players to watch out for this season.
Northwestern's biggest games of the 2024-25 season
Northwestern will have a challenging start to its nonconference schedule this coming season. After meeting Lehigh on its season opener on Nov. 4, the Wildcats visit fellow NCAA Tournament qualifiers Dayton on Nov. 9.
Trending
They will host UIC, Eastern Illinois, Montana State and Pepperdine between Nov. 12-22 before heading to Tempe, Arizona, on Nov. 28 for the Arizona Tip-Off opener against Butler. The Wildcats will take on either Mississippi State or UNLV on the second day on Nov. 29.
The Wildcats will play 20 regular season games against Big Ten squads, with perennial rivals Illinois, Iowa and Maryland playing them twice in a home-and-away format.
Chris Collins and his men will host Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, UCLA, USC and Wisconsin and visit Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue and Washington.
Top Northwestern players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
#1. Brooks Barnhizer
Brooks Barnhizer is coming off a breakout season for Northwestern, posting 14.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. The 6-foot-6 guard shot 42.9% from the field and 76.6% from free throws.
Barnhizer is expected to step up as the team's leader in the coming season, with top scorer Boo Buie graduating after the 2023-24 season.
#2. Jalen Leach
Jalen Leach transferred from Fairfield to Northwestern after averaging career-highs in points (16.2), rebounds (4.1), assists (3.0) and steals (1.8) last season. The incoming fifth-year senior shot 48.8% from the field and 89.5% from the free-throw line in the 2023-24 season.
Leach will bring his offensive wizardry to the Wildcats this coming season and help Brooks Barnhizer form a solid guard combo that will create a lot of headaches in the Big Ten.
#3. Ty Berry
Ty Berry is coming back for his fifth season with Northwestern. The 6-foot-3 guard tallied 11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.4 apg and 1.3 spg last season while playing only 23 games.
Berry shot 44.9% from the field and 89.5% from free throws.
Predictions for Northwestern's 2024-25 season
With most of its 2023-24 lineup back for another year, Northwestern will be the dark horse team in the expanded Big Ten. The Wildcats come into the season as a solid team with a ton of preparation during the break.
Northwestern can win 22 games during the season, and a solid run in the home stretch would put the school into contention for an NCAA Tournament bid in March.
Will Northwestern make the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season? Let us know your views in the comments section.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here
