Northwestern Men's Basketball Sets Sights on 2026-27 Season at Big Ten Media Day

By: Charlie Perlman, NUSports.com

Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins, junior Angelo Ciaravino and sophomore Jake West represented Northwestern at Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Day on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

The Wildcats will kick off the 2026-27 season with a pair of exhibitions. The first is on the road against Illinois State on Doug Collins Court on Sunday, Oct. 18. Following that matchup, Northwestern will return to Welsh-Ryan Arena for a Power 4 tilt with Iowa State on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. CT.

Northwestern's regular season will begin at home on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. CT against Binghamton.

Here are four takeaways from the Wildcats' Media Day.

1. Returners stepping into leadership roles

Northwestern enters the 2026-27 season with only three returning players: Ciaravino, West and sophomore Phoenix Gill. The roster turnover leaves an opportunity for the returning Wildcats to take on bigger roles both on and off the court.

For Ciaravino, learning under program leaders like Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli has prepared him to help guide a roster that features 11 newcomers.

“The three returners just have to step up and show all the new guys the way and show what Northwestern's about,” Ciaravino said. “They've been super willing to just be open to everything that we've been saying to them and what the coaches have been saying to them, and it's been great all around.”

One of the returners Collins is leaning on most is West. After playing sporadically throughout the beginning of his freshman season, West took the conference by storm during the second half of the season, helping the ‘Cats win five of their last seven games.

For a program defined in part by point guard leaders like Bryant McIntosh and Boo Buie, Collins sees no reason why West can't be the next on that list.

“I want him to be the head of the snake,” Collins said. “He's going to be the one with the ball. We need his voice in huddles. We need his voice commanding because all of our guys look up to him, and you know he's going to be the one leading the way. There’s no question.”

2. A hunger to prove themselves

With eight new transfers joining the team, establishing a collective identity has been one of the team's early priorities. That team-first approach has helped bring together a roster with plenty of new faces.

“We end every huddle and every meeting with win on three, and that's the common goal,” West said. “We don't care about points or stats, we just want to win. A lot of these guys are selfless, and they care about the team.”

Collins pointed to Iowa and Nebraska as programs the Wildcats want to emulate, highlighting their toughness and competitiveness as key parts of their respective postseason success.

With many of Northwestern's transfers arriving with significant college experience, Collins believes they are ready for the opportunity to test themselves against Big Ten competition.

“They're older guys that have done really well in so-called lesser leagues, and you know now they get an opportunity as veteran players to see how they can stack up against the best,” Collins said. “There is a hunger, there is a little bit of a chip there. I think we know we have to earn our respect, we know that.”

3. Building on Martinelli's impact

Martinelli's impact on Northwestern extends beyond the numbers he put up on the court. For Ciaravino, Martinelli helped set a standard for what it means to be a leader in the program.

“That's our big brother right there,” Ciaravino said. “We both look up to him. He's kind of paved the way for guys like us in this program. We see how much he's put into this program, and we see how much respect and how much love he gets from everyone involved in this community and in college basketball in general. And for a guy like me, I feel like that's just something that I strive to be one day for sure.”

While Martinelli's influence will remain in the locker room, his departure also leaves Northwestern searching for a new offensive identity. After leading the Big Ten in scoring in back-to-back seasons, Martinelli's unorthodox style and ability to draw attention shaped much of the Wildcats' offense.

Northwestern's additions give Collins the opportunity to build an offense that looks different from the one centered around Martinelli. With dynamic playmakers like Bellarmine transfer forward Jack Karasinski, the 12th-highest scoring player in Division I last season, and a strong post presence in Mount St. Mary's transfer Luke McEldon, Collins expects a more balanced attack.

“I think you're going to see a little bit more movement with this year's team, cutting a little bit more, off-ball activity and screening activity that's going to lend itself more to our team,” Collins said. “I think we're going to be a team that could have a different leading scorer on any given night.”

4. A commitment to getting back to the NCAA Tournament

The last time the Wildcats made it to the NCAA Tournament, Martinelli was just a sophomore. Now, hearing Martinelli and other former teammates recount their tournament experience has only heightened Ciaravino's desire to get Northwestern back there.

“It really fires me up, and honestly, it gets me upset that we weren't able to be there the past two years,” Ciaravino said. “I feel like it's just fuel to the fire, and making the tournament is definitely somewhere where we all are striving to be, so just coming to work every day with that mentality of trying to get there.”

Entering his 14th year at the helm, Collins knows the new-look roster will need time to find its identity. But he said the investment from the players has given him confidence in what the group can become, with everyone in the locker room excited to be part of the program and chase championships.

For West, the focus hasn't wavered. He's not concerned with doubters or outside rankings. Instead, he's focused on the standard he has set for himself and the program.

“I think the message has stayed the same since I committed to Northwestern, and it's to try to take Northwestern to places it hasn't been before,” West said. “I want to try to get Northwestern back to that standard of being a national program team trying to get to that tournament.”