Northwestern University Athletics
Monday, November 3
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Mercyhurst
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Basketball Opens 2025-26 Season with Clash against Mercyhurst
11/2/2025 11:36:00 AM | Men's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern men's basketball tips off its 2025-26 regular season inside Welsh-Ryan Arena against Mercyhurst on Monday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on B1G+ with Adam Beck (play-by-play), Ethan Segall (analyst) and Anna Watson (sideline) on the call and can be heard on ESPN 1000 WMVP with the Voice of the 'Cats, Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst).
Last time out, the Wildcats dominated Illinois State, 100-65, in an exhibition contest. Northwestern held the Redbirds to 32.1% shooting from the field and a 14.8% mark from beyond the arc. Senior forward Nick Martinelli led the way with game highs of 21 points and 9 rebounds. USF transfer Jayden Reid, in his first action at Northwestern, logged 11 points and 11 assists. Junior forward Arrinten Page dropped 16 points in 10 minutes, while sophomore guards K.J. Windham and Angelo Ciaravino added 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Wildcats recorded 22 assists to just five turnovers.
Northwestern has reached the NCAA Tournament in two of the past three seasons and has posted a winning record in each of the last three seasons. Collins, the second-winningest coach in program history, has led Northwestern to 38 Big Ten wins over the past four seasons, equaling the four-year stretch from 1930-34 as the most over a four-season period in school history. Last April, Collins inked a multi-year contract extension through 2030.
Martinelli, a 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten selection and a member of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List, became the fourth Wildcat to lead the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game in 2024-25. Martinelli's average marked the highest by a Northwestern player since Evan Eschmeyer (21.7, 1997-98). Martinelli's 676 total points broke the school's single-season scoring record, previously held by John Shurna (661, 2011-12).
Martinelli is the fifth-leading returning scorer in all of college basketball this season, and is second among all scorers who are returning to the school they played at in 2024-25, joining Markus Burton (Notre Dame, 21.3 ppg). The Glenview, Ill., product scored 15+ points in 18 straight games to close the campaign, the longest active streak by a high-major player in the country. Martinelli scored in double figures in 26 straight games, the longest streak by a Northwestern player since at least 2000. He played a league-high 37.7 minutes per game last season and was the first high-major player to post at least 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 37.5+ minutes per game since Kemba Walker at UConn in 2010-11.
The Wildcats return seven players, including several key contributors from last year's squad: in Martinelli, Ciaravino, Windham, and senior guard Justin Mullins.
Northwestern welcomes eight newcomers, the program's most since the 2019-20 season (8). The team's first-year class was ranked as the No. 10 class in the country by 247Sports at the time of its signing, the highest-rated class in the modern recruiting era. First-year forward Tre Singleton is the highest-ranked recruit in program history, and was rated in the Top 100 by 247Sports. In the Wildcats' exhibition against No. 16 Iowa State, Singleton logged 14 points and five rebounds, knocking down all six of his free throw attempts. Forward Cade Bennerman, guard Phoenix Gill, forward Tyler Kropp, and guard Jake West round out the class.
The Wildcats also acquired three transfers in Reid, Page, and sophomore guard Max Green. Reid logged 12.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game for USF last season after making the AAC All-Freshman Team in the 2023-24 season. Page, a former top-40 high school recruit, comes to Northwestern after stops at Cincinnati and USC. In both of Northwestern's exhibition contests, Page reached double figures in points. Green was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2024-25, posting team highs of 14.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game at Holy Cross.
Mercyhurst comes to Evanston in just its second year as a Division I program. Last season, the Lakers finished third in the NEC, posting a 9-7 league record with a 15-16 overall mark. Head coach Gary Manchel, who has guided the program since 2003, led Mercyhurst to the Division II NCAA Tournament five consecutive years from 2019-2023. Mercyhurst was picked to finish fourth in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll and graduate guard Bernie Blunt III earned Preseason All-NEC honors after averaging 12.5 points and 1.5 assists per game last season.
Northwestern continues its three-game homestand to open the season with a contest against Boston University on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. CT. The game will air on Peacock and WGN Radio 720.
Last time out, the Wildcats dominated Illinois State, 100-65, in an exhibition contest. Northwestern held the Redbirds to 32.1% shooting from the field and a 14.8% mark from beyond the arc. Senior forward Nick Martinelli led the way with game highs of 21 points and 9 rebounds. USF transfer Jayden Reid, in his first action at Northwestern, logged 11 points and 11 assists. Junior forward Arrinten Page dropped 16 points in 10 minutes, while sophomore guards K.J. Windham and Angelo Ciaravino added 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Wildcats recorded 22 assists to just five turnovers.
Northwestern has reached the NCAA Tournament in two of the past three seasons and has posted a winning record in each of the last three seasons. Collins, the second-winningest coach in program history, has led Northwestern to 38 Big Ten wins over the past four seasons, equaling the four-year stretch from 1930-34 as the most over a four-season period in school history. Last April, Collins inked a multi-year contract extension through 2030.
Martinelli, a 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten selection and a member of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List, became the fourth Wildcat to lead the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game in 2024-25. Martinelli's average marked the highest by a Northwestern player since Evan Eschmeyer (21.7, 1997-98). Martinelli's 676 total points broke the school's single-season scoring record, previously held by John Shurna (661, 2011-12).
Nick Martinelli: One of the country's finest ?? pic.twitter.com/Y2wOt4AWgC
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) October 30, 2025
Martinelli is the fifth-leading returning scorer in all of college basketball this season, and is second among all scorers who are returning to the school they played at in 2024-25, joining Markus Burton (Notre Dame, 21.3 ppg). The Glenview, Ill., product scored 15+ points in 18 straight games to close the campaign, the longest active streak by a high-major player in the country. Martinelli scored in double figures in 26 straight games, the longest streak by a Northwestern player since at least 2000. He played a league-high 37.7 minutes per game last season and was the first high-major player to post at least 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 37.5+ minutes per game since Kemba Walker at UConn in 2010-11.
The Wildcats return seven players, including several key contributors from last year's squad: in Martinelli, Ciaravino, Windham, and senior guard Justin Mullins.
Northwestern welcomes eight newcomers, the program's most since the 2019-20 season (8). The team's first-year class was ranked as the No. 10 class in the country by 247Sports at the time of its signing, the highest-rated class in the modern recruiting era. First-year forward Tre Singleton is the highest-ranked recruit in program history, and was rated in the Top 100 by 247Sports. In the Wildcats' exhibition against No. 16 Iowa State, Singleton logged 14 points and five rebounds, knocking down all six of his free throw attempts. Forward Cade Bennerman, guard Phoenix Gill, forward Tyler Kropp, and guard Jake West round out the class.
The Wildcats also acquired three transfers in Reid, Page, and sophomore guard Max Green. Reid logged 12.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game for USF last season after making the AAC All-Freshman Team in the 2023-24 season. Page, a former top-40 high school recruit, comes to Northwestern after stops at Cincinnati and USC. In both of Northwestern's exhibition contests, Page reached double figures in points. Green was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2024-25, posting team highs of 14.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game at Holy Cross.
Mercyhurst comes to Evanston in just its second year as a Division I program. Last season, the Lakers finished third in the NEC, posting a 9-7 league record with a 15-16 overall mark. Head coach Gary Manchel, who has guided the program since 2003, led Mercyhurst to the Division II NCAA Tournament five consecutive years from 2019-2023. Mercyhurst was picked to finish fourth in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll and graduate guard Bernie Blunt III earned Preseason All-NEC honors after averaging 12.5 points and 1.5 assists per game last season.
Northwestern continues its three-game homestand to open the season with a contest against Boston University on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. CT. The game will air on Peacock and WGN Radio 720.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball - Illinois State Exhibition Postgame Press Conference (10/29/25)
Thursday, October 30
Men's Basketball - 'Cats Breeze by Redbirds in Exhibition, 100-65 (10/29/25)
Thursday, October 30
Men's Basketball - Collins, Martinelli, Singleton Preview Season Opener (10/28/2025)
Tuesday, October 28
Men's Basketball - Iowa State Exhibition Postgame Press Conference (10/26/2025)
Sunday, October 26
