The ‘Cats entered Saturday having dropped three straight games and were looking for a reset against Jackson State. The matchup provided an opportunity to regroup after a difficult stretch against Power Five opponents.
“Just proud of our guys to get back on the winning track. When you lose, you take a hit in confidence,” Coach Collins said. “I’m proud of our week, and we viewed it as a restart. We said, ‘Let’s just go back to the basics.’”
Defense has been the major concern for the ‘Cats, and it is
the primary reason they had lost four of their previous five games. Collins and his staff made that the focus of last week’s practices, emphasizing positioning, discipline and fundamental concepts. Saturday’s performance showed glimpses of that work taking hold. Much tougher tests are ahead once Big Ten play resumes, but stronger effort and communication can help raise the team’s defensive ceiling.
Even though Jackson State is not near the same caliber of opponent as the teams Northwestern faced over the past month, NU still needed to handle its business and show progress in key areas. The ‘Cats looked sharper on the defensive end, particularly through the middle stretches of both halves, and they played with better focus and competitiveness. Those sequences reflected better ball pressure and communication, two areas that had slipped during the losing streak. The guards did a stronger job containing dribble penetration, which allowed Arrinten Page and Nick Martinelli to stay home rather than over helping at the rim. Although it was against a struggling offense, these are encouraging habits that Northwestern will need to carry into Big Ten play.
Rebounding has also been a persistent issue, yet Northwestern won the battle 45-29 and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. While that is a positive sign, Jackson State’s tallest rotation player is 6-foot-9, so that margin doesn’t mean much for the rest of the season. Big Ten front courts will present a much steeper challenge.
There were also some notable adjustments to the rotation. Tre Singleton came off the bench for the second straight game, but this was the first time it happened while he was fully healthy after dealing with an illness last week. Nothing is set in stone with the lineup, though Collins said he wanted another bigger body available as a reserve and felt the rotation flowed more smoothly with Singleton entering off the bench. It appears the staff may stick with that approach for now.
“I told all our players to view themselves as starters,” Collins said.
Singleton still logged 23 minutes, the most on the team. The move suggests an effort to stagger the minutes of Singleton, Page and Martinelli so that two of them are on the floor together as often as possible. Northwestern does not have a traditional backup center, although Tyler Kropp has filled that role at times. Against smaller opponents the committee approach can work, but Big Ten competition will test it quickly. Page’s size and availability will remain crucial.
Another notable development came with K.J. Windham, who played only one minute. Collins said it was a coaching decision and emphasized that Windham needs to stay ready. Still, the limited role stands out given his strong finish last season when he scored in double figures in six of his final nine games. Many expected him to be a starter or the sixth-man heading into the year. His shooting remains important to the offense, and NU went 7-for-26 from deep on Sunday, so his usage will be something to watch moving forward.
Northwestern should not take too much from a win over a one-win Jackson State team, but getting a positive result still matters. The ‘Cats needed the feeling of a reset after a tough few weeks, and they showed signs of renewed focus in areas that must improve for conference play. Sunday’s defensive effort was a step forward, and the rotations offered a glimpse into how the staff may try to stabilize the lineup.
The next challenge is to build on this performance with steady improvement rather than momentary progress. Northwestern returns to the floor on Tuesday night against Valparaiso, another opportunity to sharpen defensive habits, reinforce rebounding fundamentals and continue settling the rotation before the intensity of Big Ten play resumes in January. The last stretch of non-conference games offers valuable space for NU to strengthen its identity and clean up areas that have held the team back. How the ‘Cats use these games will go a long way toward determining whether they enter conference play with real traction or lingering questions.
