Don't diminish the success Northwestern basketball had - but it's hard not to wonder 'what if'

EVANSTON, Ill. - When Northwestern senior center Matthew Nicholson was coming out of the tunnel for Senior Night in 2024, his arms were on his crutches but his mind was elsewhere.

He knew he was coming back. There was no doubt in his mind and no place he’d rather be.

On Monday, Nicholson lined up in that Senior Night tunnel once more, but this time he felt a hesitation.

"It was hard to do it," Nicholson said. "It was very heartfelt, and I enjoyed it."

That bittersweet emotion fell upon a Northwestern basketball program in a myriad of ways Monday. This was a team that was supposed to – and expected to – make a third consecutive NCAA Tournament.

There was no doubt this Wildcats team could have achieved a third at-large bid at the very least. But, after two years when luck bounced NU’s way in terms of two NCAA Tournament wins and the best two-season stretch in program history, rent came due this season. Lady Luck collected in the form of heartbreaking injuries to Brooks Barnhizer and Jalen Leach, plus demoralizing losses to Nebraska, Butler, Iowa and Penn State. 

As the home schedule came to an end in another stress-inducing, exciting but albeit devastating loss, this time a 73-69 loss to UCLA, it’s another moment that left this team wondering "what if."

"There’ll always be a little bit of what if," Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said Monday.

On Monday, the ‘Cats lost again on a questionable call. Nick Martinelli tried to wrestle through two Bruins to try and get off a potential game-tying shot but had his hand smacked. Collins was asked about the no-call, but smartly said he wanted to keep his paycheck.

What was an impressive comeback attempt on a 13-1 run stays just that: an almost comeback.

"They’re going to play to the very last second of the game," Collins said. "We haven’t been able to win a lot of the close games, but we’re also showing up every night. We’re competing, which to me is a real positive, especially being undermanned."

Still undermanned, NU nearly stunned the Bruins and had a shot with Martinelli holding the ball.

The play was always going to Martinelli, who Collins wanted it to go through no matter what. Martinelli earned that. But, had Barnhizer or Leach been there to space the floor just a bit more, maybe Martinelli got the basket to go or maybe he found Ty Berry sitting in the corner for a game-winning three?

Nicholson went beyond the idea of wondering what if. He knows it would all be extremely different.

"This year, we were really trying," Nicholson said. "I know that if Brooks and if Leach didn’t get hurt, it would’ve been a different story."

That story saw Martinelli’s progression into a Big Ten-leading scorer. Collins thought Barnhizer would be a Player of the Year candidate. Had he stayed healthy, who was to argue otherwise? Collins also liked the mix of experience and youth, knowing it would have jelled well as the season went on.

"We just got hit with some injuries and some crazy luck with some things," Collins said. "We had some good close wins also. But of course, as a coach you wish you had a full compliment, just to see."

It ends a historic run for NU basketball.

The Wildcats that finally made their first tournament in 2017 proved they weren’t a one-trick pony with back-to-back berths in ’23 and ’24. Magic was up their sleeve.

Nicholson noted Bryant McIntosh, a star on the 2017 Tournament team, rued how the ‘Cats never got back in 2018. Nicholson was part of a core that did exactly that.

"Looking back at it, it’s something that I can say I’m proud of," Nicholson said.

To be fair, it’s not all over.

The Big Ten Tournament is coming. With a deep run in Indianapolis, Northwestern could be in a position to take advantage should another team’s bubble pop. At 16-14 overall, four wins means NU would earn 20 wins for a third straight year. 

Beat No. 13 Maryland on the road in the season finale, a team NU has already beaten once, and that cause is lifted even further.

"It’s March now, so you never know what can happen," Berry said postgame. "We just tried to claw our way back and even though we fell short, I’m just so proud of my guys."

That pride can’t be diminished. Northwestern has earned it.

Still, the feeling of what could have been in the 2024-2025 season will sting until Northwestern basketball finds its next core that can dream as high as this current one did. 

"What would that have been?" Collins said. "I don’t know. I don’t know the answer, but I think some good things would’ve happened."