Wildcat Freshmen Show that Northwestern's Future is Bright

The kids are alright in Evanston. Northwestern might be alright, too.

It's been easy to press the panic button amid one of the more frustrating seasons of the Chris Collins era, but the young Wildcats have frequently shown that there is hope on the horizon.

Collins made the radical decision mid-season to utilize a starting lineup with three true freshmen. Perhaps it was a sign of desperation, but it was also an acknowledgement that Tre Singleton, Jake West and Tyler Kropp are the future of Northwestern basketball, and experience is the best teacher.

Tuesday's Big Ten Tournament win over Penn State wasn't the best game those three have played this season, but it was another game. The young 'Cats are growing and learning from every turnover, every foul and every mistake they've made. That experience is paramount to the next iteration of Wildcat hoops and the eventual player that each of these three develops into.

West, for example, has been forced to go toe-to-toe with some of the best point guards in the conference. The freshman has been a sponge against the Big Ten's top ball-handlers and is already running the Wildcats' offense like a veteran.

"I'm really confident in my work," West said after beating the Nittany Lions. "I remember the start of the season, getting sped up, going out there like, 'Ah, I don't know what to do right here. I'm just playing basketball.' Now, the game is slowing down for me a lot. I'm starting to see a lot more stuff and it's been a lot of fun."

During NU's regular season matchup against Penn State, West dished out a freshman record 13 assists. He totaled five in Tuesday's tournament win, adding to a trio of strong drives that showcased his scoring ability off the dribble.

Singleton has also been a prime example of development and growth. His progress has been less linear than West's, but the highest-rated recruit in program history has often shown moments of brilliance as an athlete and a versatile defender.

Foul trouble has plagued Singleton all season, and his Big Ten Tournament debut was no different. The freshman picked up three personal fouls in just five minutes during the first half.

But instead of making a lineup change, Collins kept his faith in Singleton after the intermission. The Indiana native ended up scoring nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, grabbing three rebounds and earning a steal over 14 second-half minutes, all without committing a single foul.

"It really just boils down to me being smarter, having my teammates' backs, because they have my back," Singleton said postgame. "Trying to find that median in between having that right pop and aggressiveness, and obviously playing smart. Thankfully, I think I was able to find that a little bit in those last 10 minutes."

Singleton has had loads of outside pressure on his shoulders during his freshman season, and the top-100 recruit has been openly critical of his own play when he's gotten into foul trouble. He is confident in the future of the team's young core, though, because of the work they have put in when the cameras are off.

And to cap it all off, Kropp has spent the year playing an entirely new position. Collins has used the 6-foot-9 forward as an undersized center, given the team's lack of size, but Kropp has embraced the challenge. He's also found a niche on the offensive glass, despite his disadvantage against traditional bigs.

Against Penn State, Kropp hauled in six rebounds off the bench, with four of those being offensive boards. That's a component that Collins' Wildcats have severely missed this year, and Kropp's experience could pay dividends when he plays alongside a big man in the future.

"Obviously, being undersized, you've got to play with a little bit of a chip on your shoulder," Kropp said. "Coach has been on me about getting on the offensive glass, both sides of the glass. It's just a big emphasis, that's a part of the game I can help with on this team, for sure. Just doing whatever I can and staying aggressive."

The young Wildcats are only getting started, but why should Northwestern fans have faith in the team's future? Look no further than the current team leader, Nick Martinelli.

Singleton said that Martinelli "working his tail off" sets the tone for the other 'Cats. Kropp said he's never seen anyone work as hard as Martinelli. West said he sometimes tries to catch Martinelli outside the gym to see whether he's working hard enough to keep pace with his senior teammate, but that the Big Ten's leading scorer is always in the gym.

Those things matter, especially for a team that just experienced the winningest stretch in program history and built the culture to match. It ensures that the era following NU's March Madness trips does not result in the team bottoming out and starting from scratch, but instead continues the culture started by Boo Buie, Brooks Barnhizer, Martinelli, and more.

It's still too early to make any definitive claims, but Singleton, West and Kropp are on the right track toward establishing that next era. Perhaps Phoenix Gill and Cade Bennerman become a part of that as well, or Angelo Ciaravino and Max Green take massive leaps between their sophomore and junior seasons. But regardless of whether Northwestern's season ends on Wednesday, Thursday or even further, Collins seems to have the right pieces in place for long-term success.