Northwestern men’s basketball will open Big Ten play against Wisconsin before facing defending national champion Michigan on the road. The Wildcats’ 20-game conference schedule also features home-and-home series with Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota.
Northwestern men’s basketball now knows what awaits in its 2026-27 Big Ten schedule.
The Wildcats released their 20-game conference slate Wednesday, setting up a season filled with early tests, challenging road trips and several opportunities to build a resume for the NCAA Tournament.
Northwestern will open Big Ten play at home against Wisconsin on Tuesday, Dec. 1, before traveling to face defending national champion Michigan in its first conference road game on Saturday, Dec. 12.
The schedule gives Northwestern 10 home conference games and 10 on the road. The Wildcats will play Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota twice, once at Welsh-Ryan Arena and once on the road. Northwestern will also host Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, UCLA and USC, while traveling to Michigan, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Washington and Ohio State.
The conference opener against Wisconsin gives Northwestern an immediate opportunity to begin Big Ten play on its home floor. The Wildcats will then have less than two weeks before facing Michigan in Ann Arbor, a particularly notable matchup after the Wolverines captured the national championship.
That early stretch could provide an important measuring stick for head coach Chris Collins and a roster that has undergone significant changes.
Collins enters his 14th season leading the Wildcats, who are bringing in 11 newcomers for the 2026-27 campaign. The group includes six transfers from other Division I programs and two international first-years. Northwestern will look to blend that new talent with its returning core as it attempts to return to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past five seasons.
Mar 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins gestures to his team against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesThe Wildcats will also have several stretches where the home floor could become especially important.
Northwestern will host Rutgers on Jan. 16 before welcoming Indiana on Jan. 27 and USC on Jan. 30. Later in the season, the Wildcats will host Iowa on Feb. 13, Illinois on Feb. 16 and UCLA on Feb. 24 before closing the home portion of the schedule against Nebraska and Michigan State.
The Michigan State matchup could be especially significant. Northwestern will host the Spartans on Tuesday, March 2 as part of a three-game Big Ten homestand, giving the Wildcats a chance to finish the regular season at Welsh-Ryan Arena with a major conference opponent.
Northwestern will then close the regular season on the road at Maryland on Sunday, March 7.
The schedule also provides plenty of familiar matchups. Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota will each face Northwestern twice, creating six games against opponents the Wildcats will see both at home and on the road. Those games could become particularly important late in the season as Northwestern looks to position itself for postseason play.
Before conference play begins, Northwestern will have plenty of opportunities to prepare for the grind.
The Wildcats open the regular season at home against Binghamton on Nov. 2 and will play four additional home games before heading to the Charleston Classic in November. Northwestern will also face BYU at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Dec. 5 between its first two Big Ten games.
The Charleston Classic will provide another early test, with Northwestern scheduled to face Virginia Tech on Nov. 20 and Dayton on Nov. 22. Those games will give the Wildcats additional opportunities to build momentum before the Big Ten schedule begins.
With a new-look roster, a veteran head coach and several difficult conference matchups ahead, Northwestern's 2026-27 schedule provides plenty of opportunities to make a statement.
The Wildcats will get an early chance to show what this new group can become when Wisconsin comes to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 1.
