A few days ago, Inside NU previewed the plethora of newcomers for Northwestern men’s basketball this season. With opening tip inching closer, it’s time to take a look at three returning reserves and their
potential impacts in 2025-26.
Angelo Ciaravino
Out of the three players in this article, Ciaravino is the one most likely to receive significant minutes this year. Could a case be made that fellow guard Jordan Clayton deserves inclusion in this article by virtue of this section? Absolutely, however, Clayton started every game he played last season, cracking the starting lineup 10 times compared to seven for Ciaravino.
Putting Clayton aside, it’s clear Ciaravino will face an uphill battle for playing time this season. The sophomore averaged 3.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game in his first-year campaign, showing defensive flashes as well with 14 steals and seven blocks in 31 games played. At 6-foot-6, the Chicago native offers important length and high-level potential on the defensive end, but the ‘Cats have plenty of tall wings this year. The addition of 6-foot-6 transfer Max Green only complicates things in that department.
Green’s defensive ability is a question mark, but regardless, it seems like Ciaravino will have to compete with Justin Mullins, K.J. Windham and others to secure meaningful minutes at guard. Furthermore, Wildcat head coach Chris Collins has often been reluctant to have deep rotations. Although that may change in 2025-26, it is concerning that Ciaravino saw just 25 minutes in the entire month of March last year.
Overall, while Ciaravino offers legitimate upside to this Northwestern squad, his path to playing time absent a consistent 10 or 11-man rotation appears quite murky. To stand out, the sophomore will have to find new ways to contribute defensively, particularly in disrupting passing lanes and creating fast breaks. Ciaravino can shoot as well, but when attempting to stand out amongst a crowd of players, there’s no substitute for good hustle.
Blake Smith
Smith, a walk-on senior, has been a utility defensive piece at times for the ‘Cats during his tenure in Evanston. While he only played 57 minutes in 2024-25, the Pennsylvania native managed to make the most of them, providing high energy as a defender and often forcing opposing teams into uncomfortable spots handling the basketball.
Last year, Smith’s contributions rarely showed on the stat sheet, as he only had one steal during the campaign. Because he’s not necessarily known for his shooting, either, it’s doubtful Smith stays in for exceedingly long stretches this season — there seems to be too many quality players to overtake on the roster. Nonetheless, Smith’s defensive tenacity alone helped him capture double-digit minutes against Lehigh and USC, demonstrating how Collins is willing to trust his 6-foot-6 guard in certain situations.
Smith may not see much time in 2025-26, but his contributions in Evanston won’t be forgotten. Two seasons ago, during the home stretch of the regular season, he started back-to-back games against Maryland and Iowa, picking up a combined 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field. As a senior, Smith still offers important leadership for the upcoming slate. If it wasn’t for a deep Wildcat supporting cast, he’d likely have a real opportunity to make some consistent noise in the Big Ten this year.
Gus Hurlburt
For at least one more season, the Gus Bus is back.
Northwestern’s other walk-on aside from Smith, Hurlburt is a 6-foot-9 forward with a penchant for firing up fans whenever he enters the game. He played in just three games last season but appeared in six during 2023-24, even scoring a basket against Detroit Mercy on Dec. 10.
Historically, Hurlburt hasn’t had much impact for the ‘Cats when he’s been on the court. His size makes increased playing time a remote possibility, but it’s far more likely the redshirt junior only sees garbage-time minutes, as he projects to be a distant 13th in the rotation even if players such as Cade Bennerman or Phoenix Gill redshirt.
Still, fans will likely get to see Hurlburt on the court at the end of a few more lopsided contests in 2025-26. And who knows what could happen? After all, he’s still a perfect 1-of-1 from the field in his career.