Northwestern Men's Basketball Announces Full Nonconference Schedule
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Northwestern Men's Basketball posted a graphic on X this Wednesday listing its final nonconference schedule for the 2025-26 season. The 'Cats will play six home games and five contests against power conference opponents.
It’s beautiful.
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) August 20, 2025
Our 2025-26 non conference schedule is here 📆 pic.twitter.com/8hPUJF4aNI
Before the season begins in earnest, the Wildcats will participate in two "tune-up" games, one at home and one on the road. The first will be at Iowa State on Oct. 26, a good test right out of the gates with no ramifications for a loss.
Then, Northwestern will come home where it will take on Illinois State at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Oct. 29.
Once November rolls around, the nonconference slate starts to count. Northwestern's first game will be at home against Mercyhurst on Nov. 3 before two more home game that should be easy wins against Boston University and Cleveland State.
If the 'Cats are anything other than 3-0 at that point, then something akin to the Chicago State loss of two seasons ago has happened, and the feeling on campus will not be positive.
On Nov. 14, the 'Cats will face their first true test of the season at DePaul. The Blue Demons play in the Big East, and while they haven't been particularly great in recent seasons, they're always a threat and have played Northwestern close.
After DePaul, Chris Collins and his squad will enter their most difficult stretch before Big Ten play. It starts at the Greenbrier Tip-Off, where they will play both Virginia and South Carolina, no matter the results of the games.
Virginia had a down year in 2024-25, but the Cavaliers have had a solid transfer portal season and look poised to bounce back under new head coach Ryan Odom. South Carolina, meanwhile, finished at the basement of the SEC last season.
On Nov. 27, Northwestern will again play its third power conference team in a row, matching up with Oklahoma State at Chicago's United Center.
Then, to stary December, Northwestern gets two home games it should win against Jackson State and Valparasio before looking for redemption at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against Butler. Northwestern lost a heartbreaker to Butler just last season.
The 'Cats will wrap up their nonconference slate on Dec. 30 at home against Howard.
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Ryan Cole is a writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI covering every team on campus. He’s currently a junior at NU where he’s studying journalism and previously wrote and edited for Inside NU. He also studies business with an eye towards eventually helping develop business models to revive local news. In his free time, Cole enjoys watching sports, playing sports, reading the news and singing.