CBB Rank 2025: No. 57, Northwestern Basketball

Northwestern basketball returns a flat out star in Nick Martinelli, hoping he can propel them to bigger heights in the Big Ten this season.

The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Northwestern basketball.

When you look at Northwestern basketball in 2025-26, you first look at Nick Martinelli. The forward is a star’s star, averaging over 20 PPG last season, along with over 6 rebounds per game. While not a knockdown shooter, he is a stretch four – someone who keeps the defense honest, but does most of his damage elsewhere.

But this year, he’ll be without a few of his top running mates. Brooks Barnhizer literally did everything – scoring, rebounding, passing, defending – he’ll be sorely missed. Jalen Leach and Ty Berry also chipped in in big ways. So while having Martinelli back is a good thing, on a 17-win team, there better be some valuable replacements.

The biggest names to know are Jayden Reid and Max Green. Reid played point guard for the South Florida Bulls last year and should be able to run it well for the Wildcats this year, whether he starts or comes off the bench. He’s only 5-10, but he’s got a lot of game, and that position shouldn’t be an issue with other players more than capable of running the show. Green comes over after a big season at Holy Cross. At 6-6, he’ll also have to be more than just a scorer, but he can help out the most on the perimeter, shooting 38% from deep last season.

After them, it’s going to be about who steps up. A few key rotation players from last year are back in KJ Windham, Justin Mullins, Jordan Clayton, and Angelo Ciaravino. Windham and Clayton ended last season very strong, while Mullins also had a promising freshman season.

There are some other first-year players and transfers who could crack the lineup, with top 100 recruit Tre Singleton as one name to watch, but overall, it doesn’t look to be a very deep Northwestern basketball team. It will be the Martinelli show, and they will go as far as the surrounding pieces can help take them.

Head coach: Chris Collins (13th season overall, all at Northwestern)

2024-25 record: 17-16 (7-13)

2025 postseason finish: No postseason

Notable departures: 

• Brooks Barnhizer (17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG)
• Jalen Leach (14.3 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 39.4 3P%)
• Ty Berry (10.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 38.5 3P%)
• Matthew Nicholson (5.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.4 BPG, 58.6 FG%)
• Luke Hunger (2.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.2 APG)

Notable non-conference games: 

• at DePaul (Nov. 14)
• vs. Virginia (Nov. 21) – Greenbrier Tip Off
• vs. South Carolina (Nov. 23) – Greenbrier Tip Off
• vs. Oklahoma State (Nov. 27)
• at Butler (Dec. 20)

Projected Rotation

PG: KJ Windham (6-3, 190, So.)

2024-25 stats: 5.6 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 RPG, 80.0 FT%

SG: Jordan Clayton (6-2, 185, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 4.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 100.0 FT%, 10 GP

SF: Max Green (6-6, 190, So.)

2024-25 stats: 14.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 38.0 3P% (Holy Cross)

PF: Nick Martinelli (6-7, 225, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 20.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 47.1 FG%

C: Arrinten Page (6-11, 245, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 3.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.5 BPG, 49.4 FG%, 9.1 MPG (Cincinnati)

6: Jayden Reid (5-10, 160, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 12.6 PPG, 3.6 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 35.8 3P%, 78.7 FT% (South Florida)

7: Justin Mullins (6-6, 200, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 4.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 46.6 FG%

8: Tre Singleton (6-8, 215, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #86 ranked recruit

9: Angelo Ciaravino (6-6, 195, So.)

2024-25 stats: 3.1 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 68.0 FT%

10: Jake West (6-3, 170, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #159 ranked recruit

11: Tyler Kropp (6-9, 230, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #193 ranked recruit

12: Cade Bennerman (7-0, 205, Fr.)

247Sports Composite #278 ranked recruit

Northwestern Basketball team MVP: Nick Martinelli

Martinelli is one of those players who just has a nose for the basketball. Whether it’s cutting without the ball, being in the right spot for a second chance opportunity, or putting himself in position to break down a defender one-on-one, the lefty has game.

And being a lefty with that much skill has to give him another edge on defenders. You’ve got to defend them differently than righties, so that second thought of how to guard Martinelli can be all he needs with his skillset to make them pay.

It seems like NW lost a little bit of scoring talent, so Martinelli will probably have to post 20+ points per game to keep Northwestern competitive. But I’m intrigued to see if Collins tries to turn him into more of a playmaker to force others to become bigger scorers. It can be a tough ask for your best bucket getter to also become an above-average playmaker, but Martinelli might just need to do everything for the Wildcats to be successful this season.

Northwestern Basketball make-or-break player: Jordan Clayton

Clayton only played in 10 games last season, after he originally planned on redshirting, but made his debut on Feb. 8 against Washington. He ended up starting all 10 games, so I’d expect the plan to be for Clayton to start again this season.

I like the potential backcourt of Clayton and Windham, the latter of whom had a very strong end to his season. While USF transfer Jayden Reid could also be an option to start, I’ve got a feeling Collins rolls with a pair of his returning players.

And in Clayton’s case, it’s a chance to really show why he can be a major piece of this team. In the two Big Ten Tournament games Northwestern played in last season, Clayton averaged 10.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.5 APG, barely coming off the court. It just seems like he could be a major part of this Wildcats team, and no one is really talking about him.

Key analytic: MR%

This analytic measures how teams shoot in the mid-range compared to their opponent,s and Northwestern basketball was one of the best last season at 43.86%. That ranked 17th in the country, and as stated before, Martinelli is one big reason why.

Of course, losing Barnhizer will make this percentage go down a bit, so it will be interesting to see if Collins looks to change the style of offense and go for more threes or drive the bucket more. He can’t take away Martinelli’s game, but he could allow that to open up better looks elsewhere.

Northwestern Basketball 2025-26 projections

Projected conference finish: 15th in the Big Ten

Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Exit