2022–23 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team

The 2022–23 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team represented Northwestern University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by 10th-year head coach Chris Collins. The Wildcats played their home games at Welsh–Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois as members of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 21–10, 12–8 in Big Ten play, to finish in a tie for second place, their highest finish since the 1958–59 season. This season was also notable as the first time Northwestern defeated a number-one ranked opponent, during a home game against Purdue on February 12. As the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they were upset in the quarterfinals by No. 10 seed Penn State. The Wildcats received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, their second-ever appearance, where they named as the No. 7 seed in the West Region. The Wildcats defeated Boise State in the first round before falling to UCLA in the second round, closing their season with an overall record of 22–12.

2022–23 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball
NCAA tournament, Second Round
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record22–12 (12–8 Big Ten)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaWelsh–Ryan Arena
Seasons
2022–23 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 3 Purdue 15 5   .750 29 6   .829
No. 21 Indiana 12 8   .600 23 12   .657
Northwestern 12 8   .600 22 12   .647
Michigan State 11 8   .579 21 13   .618
Maryland 11 9   .550 22 13   .629
Illinois 11 9   .550 20 13   .606
Iowa 11 9   .550 19 14   .576
Michigan 11 9   .550 18 16   .529
Penn State 10 10   .500 23 14   .622
Rutgers 10 10   .500 19 15   .559
Wisconsin 9 11   .450 20 15   .571
Nebraska 9 11   .450 16 16   .500
Ohio State 5 15   .250 16 19   .457
Minnesota 2 17   .105 9 22   .290
Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

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The Wildcats finished the 2021–22 season 15–16, 7–13 in Big Ten play, to finish in a three-way tie for 10th place. As the No. 12 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they defeated Nebraska in the first round before losing to Iowa in the second round.

Offseason

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Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Ryan Greer 2 G 6'2" 190 Senior Atlanta, GA Left the team to personal reasons
Casey Simmons 14 G 6'6" 180 Freshman Milton, MA Transferred to Yale
Ryan Young 15 C 6'10" 240 RS Junior Stewartsville, NJ Graduate transferred to Duke
Elyjah Williams 21 F 6'7" 220 GS Senior Evanston, IL Graduated
Pete Nance 22 F 6'10" 225 Senior Akron, OH Graduate transferred to North Carolina
Dylan Sandhu 54 G 6'4" 160 RS Junior Northville, MI Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons

Incoming transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous college
Tydus Verhoeven 10 F 6'9" 225 GS Senior Manteca, CA UTEP

Recruiting classes

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2022 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Luke Hunger
C
Montreal, QC Northfield-Mt. Hermon School 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (110 kg) Nov 2, 2021 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 80
Nick Martinelli
SF
Glenview, IL Glenbrook South High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Apr 23, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2022 Northwestern Commits". Rivals.com.
  • "2022 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

2023 recruiting class

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US college sports recruiting information for 2023 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Jordan Clayton
PG
Medford, MA Bradford Christian School 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Aug 12, 2022 
Recruiting star ratings: RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPNN/A   ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

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2022–23 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Boo Buie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Sr Gould Academy Albany, NY
G 1 Chase Audige 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Sr William & Mary Coram, NY
F 2 Nick Martinelli 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Glenbrook South High School Glenview, IL
G 3 Ty Berry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Jr Sunrise Christian Academy Newton, KS
G 5 Julian Roper II   6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So St. Mary's Prep Detroit, MI
F 10 Tydus Verhoeven 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) GS UTEP Manteca, CA
G 13 Brooks Barnhizer 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Jefferson High School Lafayette, IN
F 31 Robbie Beran 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Collegiate School Richmond, VA
F 33 Luke Hunger   6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Fr Northfield Mount Hermon School Montreal, QC
C 34 Matthew Nicholson 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Jr Clarkston High School Clarkston, MI
G 43 Blake Smith (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr Germantown Academy Blue Bell, PA
G 53 Roy Dixon III (W) 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sr Greater Atlanta Christian Atlanta, GA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: July 25, 2024

Schedule and results

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In the team's December 4, 2022 2022–23 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season opener against 20th-ranked Michigan State, Northwestern won on the road as 5.5-point underdogs.[1] They defeated 15th-ranked Indiana on the road as 6-point underdogs on January 8, 2023.[2][3] The Wildcats' originally scheduled game against Iowa on January 18, 2023 was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Northwestern program. The game was rescheduled for January 31.[4] The next game against Wisconsin on January 21 was also postponed due to COVID-19 protocols at Northwestern.[5] On February 11 Northwestern defeated Purdue, earning its first-ever victory over an AP poll number one-ranked team.[6] In the subsequent game on February 15, Northwestern established a school record with its fourth victory of the season over a ranked opponent by defeating 14th-ranked Indiana in a rematch. The victory also marked the first time the Wildcats had defeated ranked opponents in back-to-back games since the 2008–09 Northwestern Wildcats did so in January 2009.[7]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 2, 2022*
7:00 p.m., BTN+
Quincy W 69–49 
 15  Audige   7  Berry   7  Audige  Welsh–Ryan Arena 
Evanston, IL
Regular season
November 7, 2022*
7:00 p.m., BTN+
Chicago State W 85–54  1–0
 20  Beran   7  tied   9  Audige  Welsh–Ryan Arena (2,676)
Evanston, IL
November 11, 2022*
7:00 p.m., BTN+
Northern Illinois W 63–46  2–0
 15  Beran   11  Berry   7  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (3,077)
Evanston, IL
November 15, 2022*
5:30 p.m., FS1
at Georgetown
Gavitt Tipoff Games
W 75–63  3–0
 17  Audige   9  Nicholson   6  Buie  Capital One Arena (5,518)
Washington, D.C.
November 18, 2022*
7:00 p.m., BTN+
Purdue Fort Wayne
Cancún Challenge campus-site game
W 60–52  4–0
 28  Buie   8  Beran   6  Audige  Welsh–Ryan Arena (2,931)
Evanston, IL
November 22, 2022*
7:30 p.m., CBSSN
vs. Liberty
Cancún Challenge Riviera Division semifinals
W 66–52  5–0
 20  Audige   7  tied   5  Audige  Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (321)
Cancún, Mexico
November 23, 2022*
7:30 p.m., CBSSN
vs. No. 13 Auburn
Cancún Challenge Riviera Division championship
L 42–43  5–1
 10  Audige   8  Beran   3  Buie  Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (1,156)
Cancún, Mexico
November 28, 2022*
8:00 p.m., ESPN2
Pittsburgh
ACC–Big Ten Challenge
L 58–87  5–2
 14  Audige   5  Berry   5  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (2,606)
Evanston, IL
December 4, 2022
6:00 p.m., BTN
at No. 20 Michigan State W 70–63  6–2
(1–0)
 20  Buie   7  Beran   3  Buie  Breslin Center (14,797)
East Lansing, MI
December 11, 2022*
1:00 p.m., BTN
Prairie View A&M W 61–51  7–2
 20  Beran   12  Beran   7  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (3,861)
Evanston, IL
December 17, 2022*
1:00 p.m., BTN
DePaul W 83–45  8–2
 28  Audige   8  Nicholson   3  tied  Welsh–Ryan Arena (4,081)
Evanston, IL
December 20, 2022*
8:00 p.m., BTN
UIC W 92–54  9–2
 19  Audige   8  Barnhizer   5  tied  Welsh–Ryan Arena (3,704)
Evanston, IL
December 29, 2022*
12:00 p.m., BTN
Brown W 63–58  10–2
 24  Audige   11  Nicholson   4  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (3,730)
Evanston, IL
January 1, 2023
6:30 p.m., BTN
Ohio State L 57–73  10–3
(1–1)
 16  Audige   13  Nicholson   3  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (4,372)
Evanston, IL
January 4, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
Illinois
Rivalry
W 73–60  11–3
(2–1)
 21  Audige   7  tied   4  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (7,039)
Evanston, IL
January 8, 2023
11:00 a.m., FS1
at No. 15 Indiana W 84–83  12–3
(3–1)
 26  Buie   11  Berry   8  Audige  Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (16,759)
Bloomington, IN
January 11, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
Rutgers L 62–65  12–4
(3–2)
 13  tied   7  Nicholson   7  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (5,274)
Evanston, IL
January 15, 2023
11:00 a.m., BTN
at Michigan L 78–85  12–5
(3–3)
 22  Buie   5  tied   5  Buie  Crisler Center (12,009)
Ann Arbor, MI
January 23, 2023
5:30 p.m., BTN
Wisconsin
Rescheduled from January 21
W 66–63  13–5
(4–3)
 20  Buie   7  Buie   5  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (4,218)
Evanston, IL
January 25, 2023
6:00 p.m., FS2
at Nebraska W 78–63  14–5
(5–3)
 26  Berry   8  Barnhizer   4  Audige  Pinnacle Bank Arena (13,205)
Lincoln, NE
January 28, 2023
11:00 a.m., BTN
Minnesota W 81–61  15–5
(6–3)
 24  Audige   5  tied   8  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (6,064)
Evanston, IL
January 31, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
at Iowa
Rescheduled from January 18
L 70–86  15–6
(6–4)
 20  Buie   5  tied   3  Buie  Carver–Hawkeye Arena (11,667)
Iowa City, IA
February 2, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN2
Michigan L 51–68  15–7
(6–5)
 23  Buie   7  Nicholson   8  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (6,234)
Evanston, IL
February 5, 2023
5:30 p.m., BTN
at Wisconsin W 54–52  16–7
(7–5)
 13  Buie   7  tied   4  Buie  Kohl Center (15,632)
Madison, WI
February 9, 2023
7:00 p.m., FS1
at Ohio State W 69–63  17–7
(8–5)
 19  tied   4  tied   5  Buie  Value City Arena (12,305)
Columbus, OH
February 12, 2023
1:00 p.m., BTN
No. 1 Purdue W 64–58  18–7
(9–5)
 26  Buie   7  Berry   3  tied  Welsh–Ryan Arena (7,039)
Evanston, IL
February 15, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
No. 14 Indiana W 64–62  19–7
(10–5)
 21  Buie   6  Buie   4  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (7,039)
Evanston, IL
February 19, 2023
5:30 p.m., BTN
Iowa W 80–60  20–7
(11–5)
 23  Buie   7  Barnhizer   8  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (7,039)
Evanston, IL
February 23, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
No. 21 at Illinois
Rivalry
L 62–66  20–8
(11–6)
 35  Buie   7  Berry   2  tied  State Farm Center (15,544)
Champaign, IL
February 26, 2023
11:00 a.m., BTN
No. 21 at Maryland L 59–75  20–9
(11–7)
 16  Audige   6  Berry   8  Buie  Xfinity Center (17,950)
College Park, MD
March 1, 2023
8:00 p.m., BTN
Penn State L 65–68 OT 20–10
(11–8)
 20  Buie   7  Barnhizer   8  Buie  Welsh–Ryan Arena (7,039)
Evanston, IL
March 5, 2023
6:30 p.m., BTN
at Rutgers W 65–53  21–10
(12–8)
 16  Barnhizer   10  Barnhizer   3  Audige  Jersey Mike's Arena 
Piscataway, NJ
Big Ten tournament
March 10, 2023
5:30 p.m., BTN
(2) vs. (10) Penn State
Quarterfinals
L 65–67 OT 21–11
 16  Buie   11  Barnhizer   4  Buie  United Center 
Chicago, IL
NCAA tournament
March 16, 2023*
6:35 p.m., TruTV
(7 W) vs. (10 W) Boise State
First round
W 75–67  22–11
 22  Buie   6  tied   5  Buie  Golden 1 Center 
Sacramento, CA
March 18, 2023*
7:40 p.m., TNT
(7 W) vs. (2 W) No. 7 UCLA
Second round
L 63–68  22–12
 18  Buie   9  Nicholson   7  Audige  Golden 1 Center (16,806)
Sacramento, CA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central.

Source:[8]

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
APRVRVRVRV21RVRVNot released
CoachesRVRVRVRV22RV25

*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings.

References

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  1. ^ "Northwestern beats No. 20 Michigan State in Big Ten opener". ESPN. Associated Press. December 4, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  2. ^ "Northwestern beats Northwestern Wildcats 84: 83 Indiana Hoosiers Game Summary". ESPN. January 8, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  3. ^ Ankony, Jack (January 8, 2023). "Northwestern Makes Indiana Pay For Turnovers; Wildcats tied Atop Big Ten". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "Northwestern basketball game against Iowa rescheduled due to COVID". ABC7 Chicago. January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  5. ^ "N'western has game ppd. again due to COVID". ESPN.com. January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  6. ^ "Buie, Audige help Northwestern beat No. 1 Purdue 64-58". ESPN. Associated Press. February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "Buie's late basket lifts Northwestern over No. 14 Indiana". ESPN. Associated Press. February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "2022-23 Men's Basketball Schedule". nusports.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.