Things are trending in the right direction for Northwestern forward Jack Karasinski to return to the lineup on Friday against DePaul.

The 6-foot-7 transfer from Bellarmine knocked down seven triples in the season opening win against Binghamton, totaling 24 points in his Wildcats debut. But Karasinski has been dealing with a concussion since and missed the last two games against Stony Brook and Boston University.

This absence could be over shortly, though, as head coach Chris Collins said on Monday that he is "optimistic that [Karasinski] has a chance to play Friday."

Karasinski's debut felt like a huge revelation for the Wildcats' offense. With expected starting center Luke McEldon going on an indefinite leave of absence just before the start of the season there have been several questions about the sustainability of the frontcourt production. But the added dimension of Karasinski's outside shooting gives Northwestern an ability to stretch leads throughout the second half, something they have struggled to do despite the 3-0 start.

Karasinski, a senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, came to Evanston via transfer in April after four prior seasons of college basketball. He spent his first two seasons at William & Mary before transferring and providing two productive seasons at Bellarmine. He earned All-Conference honors (First Team All-ASUN) in 2025 averaging 21.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 56.1% from the field and 41.5% from three for the Knights.

In announcing his signing in April, Collins praised Karasinski not just for his "high-level" shooting but also his "knack for attacking the basket and getting to the foul line." This ability allowed him to remain incredibly efficient while leading the Atlantic Sun Conference in scoring.

Getting Karasinski back in the fold will not just boost outside scoring. His gravity will be crucial in opening up the floor for driving guards Jake West, LA Pratt, Angelo Ciaravino, and Phoenix Gill, who have anchored the scoring in Karasinski's stead. His return will also take a scoring load off of forward Okku Federiko, who is just 2-8 from the field through three games while averaging 25.7 minutes.

Northwestern is still working out the kinks as they look to remain unbeaten with three straight home games against DePaul, Columbia, and Virginia Tech over the next 10 days. But getting to do so with a trusted scorer and crucial piece of the puzzle in Karasinski will be important both in the interim and for their long-term success as they look to gel as a complete unit.