EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern men's basketball returns to Big Ten play with a road test at Penn State at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Jan. 2 inside the Bryce Jordan Center. The game will air on Peacock with Jac Collinsworth (play-by-play) and Stephen Bardo (analyst) on the call and WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 384 with Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
Last time out, the Wildcats, (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) closed out 2024-25 non-conference play with an 85-60 win over Northeastern on Sunday (Dec. 29) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Senior Brooks Barnhizer posted his sixth consecutive double-double, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since Evan Eschmeyer in 1997, with 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a career-high five steals. He is the only player in the country to post at least these numbers in a game this season and the first high-major player to do so since Dennis Smith Jr. (NC State) in 2017 against Virginia Tech. Barnhizer recorded his 19th career double-double. He logged his third 20+ point, 10+ rebound, and 5+ assist game of the season, which is tied with Auburn's Johni Broome for the most in the country.
The Wildcats forced the Huskies to turn the ball over 22 times and recorded 15 steals in the process, their most in a game since Nov. 9, 2021, against Eastern Illinois (16). It's the second time under Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins' tenure that Northwestern has notched at least 15 steals in a game.
Graduate student Ty Berry scored a game-high 23 points, converting 8-of-10 field goal attempts and 5-of-7 of his 3-point attempts. He scored his 1,000th career point on a 3-pointer with 5:58 remaining in the game, becoming the 41st player in school history to reach the benchmark. During the game, he moved up to eighth on the Northwestern career 3-pointers list with 207 made treys, passing Todd Lesie (1989-94). Berry led the team in scoring for the 10th time in his career.
The Wildcats were 16-1 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2024, and have a 8-0 home record in the 2024-25 season, the team's best record at home to start a season since the 2016-17 team (8-0). Northwestern is 10-3 or better over the season's first 13 games in three straight seasons for the first time since 1931-33.
Junior Nick Martinelli (20.2) and Barnhizer (20.1) are the only pair of teammates in the country averaging 20+ points per game. John Shurna (2010-11) was the last Wildcat to average at least 20 points (20.0) per game in a season. Both Martinelli and Barnhizer are averaging 20+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something that only four other high-major players nationally are doing.
With six consecutive double-doubles, Barnhizer holds the longest active streak in the country. Barnhizer's averages put him in elite territory. This season the Lafayette, Ind. product is averaging 20.1 points (3rd in B1G), 9.4 rebounds (2nd), 4.0 assists (11th), 2.7 steals (1st) and 1.1 blocks (20th) per game. Since 1947-48, there have only been two players in college basketball to average at least 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block per game in a season: Ron Harper (1985-86, Miami (OH)) and Larry Bird (1976-77, Indiana State).
Martinelli has registered seven games of 20+ points this season, the most in a season by a Northwestern forward since Vic Law posted seven such games in 2018-19. Graduate student Jalen Leach is third on the team averaging 14.1 points per game and has reached double figures in four straight games.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 8.9 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten, and the fifth fewest nationally. The 'Cats have recorded eight or fewer turnovers in four straight games, including a season-low four against Illinois.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Nittany Lions (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten), 38-22. The Wildcats have won back-to-back games in the series for the first time since 2016 and are looking to win three straight games for the first time since 2012-13. Northwestern won last year's meeting at Penn State on Jan. 10, 76-72, and are looking to win back-to-back road games in the series for the first time since 2016.
The Nittany Lions coming off three consecutive double-digit point victories over Penn (86-66), Drexel (75-64), and Penn (86-66). Penn State has five players averaging double-digit points, with Ace Baldwin (14.8) leading the way alongside Yanic Konan Niederhauser (13.5), Zach Hicks (12.0), Nicholas Kern (11.8), and Puff Johnson (10.6). The Nittany Lions rank top 10 in the country in points per game (88.2), assists per game (18.8), turnovers forced per game (17.23), and scoring margin (+21.2).
The Wildcats will take on Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m. CT for their second consecutive Big Ten road test. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network and can be heard on The Varsity Network.
Last time out, the Wildcats, (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) closed out 2024-25 non-conference play with an 85-60 win over Northeastern on Sunday (Dec. 29) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. Senior Brooks Barnhizer posted his sixth consecutive double-double, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since Evan Eschmeyer in 1997, with 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a career-high five steals. He is the only player in the country to post at least these numbers in a game this season and the first high-major player to do so since Dennis Smith Jr. (NC State) in 2017 against Virginia Tech. Barnhizer recorded his 19th career double-double. He logged his third 20+ point, 10+ rebound, and 5+ assist game of the season, which is tied with Auburn's Johni Broome for the most in the country.
The Wildcats forced the Huskies to turn the ball over 22 times and recorded 15 steals in the process, their most in a game since Nov. 9, 2021, against Eastern Illinois (16). It's the second time under Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins' tenure that Northwestern has notched at least 15 steals in a game.
Graduate student Ty Berry scored a game-high 23 points, converting 8-of-10 field goal attempts and 5-of-7 of his 3-point attempts. He scored his 1,000th career point on a 3-pointer with 5:58 remaining in the game, becoming the 41st player in school history to reach the benchmark. During the game, he moved up to eighth on the Northwestern career 3-pointers list with 207 made treys, passing Todd Lesie (1989-94). Berry led the team in scoring for the 10th time in his career.
The Wildcats were 16-1 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2024, and have a 8-0 home record in the 2024-25 season, the team's best record at home to start a season since the 2016-17 team (8-0). Northwestern is 10-3 or better over the season's first 13 games in three straight seasons for the first time since 1931-33.
Junior Nick Martinelli (20.2) and Barnhizer (20.1) are the only pair of teammates in the country averaging 20+ points per game. John Shurna (2010-11) was the last Wildcat to average at least 20 points (20.0) per game in a season. Both Martinelli and Barnhizer are averaging 20+ points and 5+ rebounds per game, something that only four other high-major players nationally are doing.
With six consecutive double-doubles, Barnhizer holds the longest active streak in the country. Barnhizer's averages put him in elite territory. This season the Lafayette, Ind. product is averaging 20.1 points (3rd in B1G), 9.4 rebounds (2nd), 4.0 assists (11th), 2.7 steals (1st) and 1.1 blocks (20th) per game. Since 1947-48, there have only been two players in college basketball to average at least 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block per game in a season: Ron Harper (1985-86, Miami (OH)) and Larry Bird (1976-77, Indiana State).
Martinelli has registered seven games of 20+ points this season, the most in a season by a Northwestern forward since Vic Law posted seven such games in 2018-19. Graduate student Jalen Leach is third on the team averaging 14.1 points per game and has reached double figures in four straight games.
As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 8.9 turnovers lost per game, which is the fewest in the Big Ten, and the fifth fewest nationally. The 'Cats have recorded eight or fewer turnovers in four straight games, including a season-low four against Illinois.
Northwestern trails the all-time series against the Nittany Lions (11-2, 1-1 Big Ten), 38-22. The Wildcats have won back-to-back games in the series for the first time since 2016 and are looking to win three straight games for the first time since 2012-13. Northwestern won last year's meeting at Penn State on Jan. 10, 76-72, and are looking to win back-to-back road games in the series for the first time since 2016.
The Nittany Lions coming off three consecutive double-digit point victories over Penn (86-66), Drexel (75-64), and Penn (86-66). Penn State has five players averaging double-digit points, with Ace Baldwin (14.8) leading the way alongside Yanic Konan Niederhauser (13.5), Zach Hicks (12.0), Nicholas Kern (11.8), and Puff Johnson (10.6). The Nittany Lions rank top 10 in the country in points per game (88.2), assists per game (18.8), turnovers forced per game (17.23), and scoring margin (+21.2).
The Wildcats will take on Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m. CT for their second consecutive Big Ten road test. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network and can be heard on The Varsity Network.