Wildcats Suffer First Setback of Season against DePaul

By Charlie Perlman, NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern dropped its first contest of the 2026-27 campaign Friday night, falling to DePaul 67-47 in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

“The effort was there,” Sullivan-Ubben Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Collins said. “We played hard. It was an opportunity that we didn't take advantage of, and now we have to come back on Monday night, and we have to bounce back and try to find a way to win.”

Sophomore guard Jake West paced the Wildcats (3-1) with 20 points, including 13 in the second half. The 6-foot-3 captain has led NU in scoring in each of its last three games.

“He's a warrior,” said Collins. “He's a competitive guy. He’s going to fight to the death. There's no question about it.”

NU forced 11 first-half turnovers, marking its second consecutive game with double-digit turnovers forced in the first half. The Wildcats also held the Blue Demons (4-0) to 32.3% shooting from the field and 19.0% from 3-point range.

Graduate student guard LA Pratt added 10 points, six rebounds and two assists. The 6-foot-5 playmaker has scored in double figures in all four games this season.

Junior guard Angelo Ciaravino recorded five points and a team-high seven rebounds and four steals. Ciaravino is the first Northwestern guard to lead the team in rebounds in four consecutive games since Brooks Barnhizer in 2025.

“Being energetic, getting rebounds, playing hard, that’s like his staple,” West said. “We need that every single day out of him and he’s been bringing that every single game.”

Northwestern will look to bounce back Monday, Nov. 16, against Columbia. Tipoff from Welsh-Ryan Arena is slated for 7 p.m. on B1G+ and WGN 720.