Northwestern has opened 3-0, but the more interesting question now is how real that start looks when the schedule finally asks something tougher. DePaul is next, and that makes this matchup a clean early-season checkpoint for a team that has won by playing with control, forcing mistakes and getting enough scoring from a short list of reliable options.
The Wildcats’ most recent win, a 72-55 result over Boston University, showed both sides of the story. They forced 19 turnovers and committed only five, which is the kind of margin that usually travels well. At the same time, Chris Collins is still working with an eight-man rotation, and that can leave little room for error once the opponent is strong enough to punish empty stretches.
The offensive shape has also leaned heavily on a few names. Jake West, LA Pratt and Angelo Ciaravino have carried much of the scoring load so far, and that matters because Northwestern has not looked entirely free-flowing from the perimeter. The concerns are not abstract. This team has already had a game in which it shot 6-for-26 from three, and another where it went 12-for-23 from deep against Stony Brook. That is a wide swing, and it says something about the range of outcomes in Northwestern’s attack.
What Northwestern has shown so far
The numbers suggest a team that can win in different ways, but not always in the same way. Against Boston University, the Wildcats defended well enough to turn the game into a possession battle, and they were efficient enough to build a comfortable margin. Against Stony Brook, the shooting was more explosive. Against tougher opponents, the question becomes whether Northwestern can consistently create good looks rather than simply live off hot stretches.
That is where the matchup with DePaul becomes meaningful. This is Northwestern’s first real test of the year, not because the earlier wins were meaningless, but because they have not yet answered how the team handles pressure when the game becomes less forgiving. A small rotation can be a strength when roles are clear. It can also be a problem if fatigue or foul trouble starts to narrow the margin even further.
The scoring profile adds another layer. West, Pratt and Ciaravino have been the key names so far, while Aleksej Kostic and Colin Smith give Northwestern other ways to stay connected. But if the ball sticks too long or the threes stop falling, the offense can become dependent on a handful of possessions that have to be executed well every time. That is a dangerous way to live against a 3-0 opponent that will be looking to make the game more physical and more demanding.
Why this game matters
On paper, 3-0 against 3-0 is a nice early-season headline. In practice, it is a test of structure. Northwestern has already shown it can win without dominating every minute, but the DePaul game should tell us more about how sustainable that approach is. If the Wildcats can keep winning while protecting the ball, getting enough offense from West, Pratt and Ciaravino, and surviving the size limitations that come with a small rotation, then the 3-0 start begins to look a little more convincing.
If not, this matchup may end up being the first reminder that early records can flatter as much as they inform. For Northwestern, and for DePaul basketball observers watching from the other side of the gym, that makes this one worth paying attention to.
