Chris Collins' Rotation Shift Revitalizes Northwestern After Winless Stretch

Northwestern wrapped up its West Coast trip 1-1 after a 64-71 loss to UCLA in the Wildcats' first visit to Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

Despite a brutal 0-7 Big Ten stretch this season, Chris Collins may have discovered what could unlock his roster's maximum potential. The most obvious change has been laid on the table: playing more freshmen.

Collins deployed a starting lineup featuring three freshmen — Tyler Kropp, Jake West, and Tre Singleton — twice in a row during the West Coast swing, giving the youngsters opportunities to shine. West, notably, has made four straight starts.

Before earning a starting role, West logged over 30 minutes against Rutgers, scoring nine points and dishing four assists. Despite missing a final layup that could have forced a second overtime, Collins showed unwavering support after the 77-75 overtime loss.

"I was proud of him," Collins said. "I was proud of Jake getting to the basket and getting a good shot."

Since then, West has averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 37% from three-point range, second-best on the team. As his offense sharpens at the Big Ten level, the 6-foot-3 point guard even provides a spark on defense with his athleticism.

Kropp is another freshman benefiting from Collins' recent rotation preference. Though playing limited minutes early on, he's showcased remarkable efficiency. Against Michigan State on Jan. 8, he scored nine points in 10 minutes off the bench when Northwestern had a glimmer of hope for an upset in East Lansing.

Against USC, Kropp started and delivered 11 points on 83% shooting while corralling six rebounds before battling into foul trouble. His performance helped Northwestern break its Big Ten winless drought with a 74-68 victory over the Trojans.

Singleton started the season's first eight games before being benched midway through as Collins promoted Jordan Clayton. However, the head coach resumed Singleton's starting duties after a three-game span, cementing a bigger role for the freshman, who's averaging 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds this season. On Saturday, he notched 12 points while battling through his body for eight free throws made.

Beyond this freshman trio, Collins also gave trusts on sophomore transfer Max Green during the West Coast trip. Despite struggles with shooting better threes as a shooter and doubts about his ability to adapt to Big Ten play, Green has gradually found his groove over the last three games, shooting over 40% from deep with five triples while averaging 9.0 points against two West Coast teams.

The shift represents a stark contrast from Collins' previous reliance on veterans like Justin Mullins and Clayton — a plan that produced unconvincing results. Now, taking another risk by benching Arrinten Page and Jayden Reid while prioritizing freshmen, Collins received a straightforward answer from USC's win.

Collins continues pondering rotations to find a formula that supports Nick Martinelli, who's averaging 23.6 points and leads the nation in scoring. Though Northwestern's late push fell short against unbeaten UCLA, encouraging signs emerged throughout the road trip.

As they closed a 0-7 Big Ten winless drought, the West Coast swing feels invaluable for regrouping heading into the season's final stretch. While looking for the second conference victory from Penn State at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday (Jan. 29), Collins' willingness to trust newcomers may have finally unlocked the formula Northwestern desperately needed.