Northwestern's Season Ends, But the Foundation is Stronger Than Ever

The Wildcats have a bright future to look forward to.

Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins greets Northwestern Wildcats guard Ty Berry (3) as he checks out of the game during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Northwestern's 2024-25 men's basketball season can best be described by Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

A buzzer-beating three-pointer against Iowa. Season-ending injuries to starters Brooks Barnhizer and Jalen Leach. A potentially game-winning four-point play waved off against Butler. A botched goaltending call against Penn State. Each of these happened to the Wildcats this season and yet, Northwestern finished with a winning record for the third year in a row.

The word "adversity" doesn't begin to capture the battles that Northwestern went through to finish with its 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) record this season. Head coach Chris Collins has said throughout the season that he's the most proud of this team out of any group he's coached, and given the Wildcats' perseverance over the entire year, it's easy to see why.

Northwestern's season came to a close Thursday at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers, who advanced to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals with a 70-63 win. NU led early, but spent most of the game in foul trouble and struggled to shoot the ball.

Wisconsin's Nolan Winter and John Tonje both had 18 points in the win, while Nick Martinelli led the 'Cats with 22 and seven boards. In the first half, Martinelli set the single-season program scoring record and finished his junior year with 676 total points, besting John Shurna's 661 in 2011-12.

After the game, Collins said the Wildcats would not accept an invite from any postseason tournaments, ending Northwestern's season.

"We're a beat-up group," Collins said. "The way our team is, we got together as a group, we wanted to leave it all on the floor here and make a run for the NCAA Tournament. Some of it's the timing too... I don't have enough bodies to practice for 20 more days before a game."

The loss also ends the careers of fifth-year seniors Ty Berry and Matthew Nicholson, who have been instrumental in changing Northwestern's culture. The two came to Evanston amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and helped improve the Wildcats' win total in each of their first three seasons. Both Berry and Nicholson were starters on the 2022-23 and 2023-24 NCAA Tournament teams and leave Northwestern after the winningest three-year stretch in program history.

"Coming in as a freshman, all we wanted to do was win and help Coach find the winning track again," Berry said. "It was tough at first, but after we got over the hump, just being a part of that and giving this program everything that we have these last five years, me and Matt can honestly say that we left this place better than we got it."

It's the end of an era for Northwestern. The players that helped define what it means to be a Wildcat — Boo Buie, Chase Audige, Ty Berry, Matthew Nicholson, Brooks Barnhizer and more — are all out the door. However, the foundation is set and the culture has been forever changed.

Northwestern's blueprint is in place. As long as Chris Collins wears purple and the administration gives him the tools to succeed, the Wildcats will be one of the toughest teams in the Big Ten for years to come.