Northwestern Basketball Left Out of Latest NCAA Tournament Bracketology

The Northwestern Wildcats basketball program has looked like a team on the upswing in recent years thanks to coach Chris Collins and stars like Brooks Barnhizer and Nick Martinelli, giving fans hope for better days ahead.

The Wildcats brought in a stacked freshman and transfer portal class this offseason including a 7-foot-3 center who caught the attention of Collins in offseason practices, Symon Ghai. 

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Despite the strong offseason recruiting haul, ESPN doesn’t think the Wildcats have what it takes to make the 2026-27 NCAA Tournament, according to its latest ‘Bracketology’ which is heavy on fellow Big Ten teams. 

Dec 23, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; former Bellarmine Knights and current Northwestern Wildcats forward Jack Karasinski(32) shoots the ball against Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Wildcats were left out of ESPN’s latest Bracketology one year after Martinelli led the Big Ten in scoring for a second straight year but Northwestern failed to make the NCAA Tournament. 

The Wildcats last made the Big Dance in 2024 as a nine-seed before advancing to the Round of 32 after a win over Dusty May’s Florida Atlantic Owls in overtime. 

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Collins’ team then lost to the UConn Huskies in the last tournament game the program has participated in. 

Collins and the Wildcats are an underdog heading into the 2026-27 college basketball season after Martinelli was taken in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft and will work on finding his replacement, and a new starting lineup, for the remainder of the offseason. 

ESPN chose twelve Big Ten teams for this coming year’s NCAA Tournament with Iowa and Wisconsin both selected as the “last teams to skip the expanded opening round.” 

Last year’s national champion the Michigan Wolverines and their new head coach Mike Boynton were chosen as a two-seed along with rival Michigan State and their 2000 national…

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Publish date : 2026-08-20 14:00:00

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