Chicago-area college basketball fans have endured their share of disappointment in recent years, but Friday night provides an opportunity to celebrate two programs moving in an encouraging direction. DePaul travels to Northwestern with both teams carrying perfect 3-0 records into their annual meeting. Although neither program is nationally ranked, the game at Welsh-Ryan Arena could become one of Friday's most entertaining contests.
Chris Holtmann's Blue Demons have opened with victories over West Georgia, South Florida and Alabama A&M, while Chris Collins' Wildcats have defeated Binghamton, Stony Brook and Boston University. Both teams have demonstrated encouraging defensive capabilities, but Friday will provide their most meaningful opportunity to evaluate their early development. For two programs looking to improve upon disappointing finishes last season, a fourth consecutive victory would provide valuable momentum.
Jake West is becoming Northwestern's offensive centerpiece
Northwestern sophomore Jake West has enjoyed an outstanding start, scoring at least 20 points in each of the Wildcats' first three games. He finished with 21 points and six assists in Monday's 72-55 victory over Boston University, continuing to establish himself as one of the Big Ten's intriguing young guards. His ability to create opportunities for teammates while carrying a significant scoring responsibility has become particularly valuable for Collins.
Graduate transfer LA Pratt contributed 20 points against Boston University, while Angelo Ciaravino added 14 points and six rebounds. Northwestern also forced 19 turnovers while committing only five, demonstrating the defensive activity and offensive discipline that have helped the Wildcats remain unbeaten. Remarkably, Northwestern has not trailed at any point through its opening three games.
The Wildcats could receive another boost if Jack Karasinski returns after missing two games while recovering from a concussion. The Bellarmine transfer scored 24 points in Northwestern's opener, although his availability for Friday remains uncertain.
DePaul's defensive improvement deserves attention
The Blue Demons have allowed just 47 points against Alabama A&M and 58 against West Georgia, demonstrating encouraging defensive potential during their unbeaten start. Their 82-80 victory over South Florida also provided an opportunity to demonstrate late-game execution in a more competitive environment. Those performances suggest that Holtmann's team could be developing the consistency necessary to become more competitive in the Big East.
DePaul's size presents another interesting challenge for Northwestern. The Blue Demons have several substantial frontcourt options, potentially allowing them to control the interior and create additional scoring opportunities through offensive rebounding. Northwestern's ability to counter that physicality with defensive pressure and efficient guard play could determine the outcome.
Friday's game tips off at 9 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. Neither program can establish its postseason credentials through four November games alone, but the winner will have another meaningful reason to believe that this season could be different.
For Chicago basketball fans, having both programs enter their rivalry unbeaten is already an encouraging development.
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