Northwestern will open its 20-game Big Ten basketball schedule by hosting Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 1, the university announced Sept. 16.
The Wildcats haven't beaten the Badgers in five tries, according to Inside NU. Wisconsin finished fifth in the Big Ten last season before falling to 12-seed High Point in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Chris Collins enters his 14th season in Evanston with a near-complete roster overhaul. The team's top four scorers from 2025-26 are gone. Forward Nick Martinelli, a two-time Big Ten scoring leader, went 55th overall to the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2026 NBA Draft, according to Evanston Now. Forwards Arrinten Page, Jayden Reid and Tre Singleton entered the transfer portal.
Only three players return: guards Angelo Ciaravino, Jake West and Phoenix Gill, according to the Daily Bruin. Collins brought in 11 newcomers, including two overseas freshmen and six Division I transfers, as the Wildcats chase a third NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons. Under Collins, Northwestern reached the second round of the tournament in both 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The Wildcats went 15-19 last season.
They finished 5-15 in Big Ten play and fell 81-68 to then-No. 18 Purdue in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament.
The conference road schedule opens Dec. 12 at defending national champion Michigan, which finished 37-3 last season, according to CBS Sports. Other home opponents include Illinois, Indiana, USC, UCLA, Iowa, Nebraska and Michigan State. Road trips include Ohio State, Penn State, Washington, Oregon, Purdue and Maryland.
Northwestern closes the home slate March 2, 2027, against Michigan State, the final game of a three-game homestand. The regular season wraps up March 7, 2027, at Maryland.
The 30th Big Ten Tournament runs March 9-14, 2027, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The 18-team field marks the second time the tournament has used that format.
Before conference play, Northwestern opens the regular season at home against Binghamton on Nov. 2, with an exhibition against Iowa State on Oct. 25. Tip times and television networks for Big Ten games had not been announced as of the Sept. 16 release.
