Tracking the 2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule

[pschatz25]

Schools have started releasing their non-conference schedules. Northwestern's schedule usually comes out pretty late (August 7th, last year), but we can start tracking games as they're revealed. We don't know much at the moment.

Confirmed (5 games plus 1 exhibition):
Oct 26 (Exhibition) @ Iowa State (ISU will play exhibition @ NU in 2026)
Nov 14 @ DePaul (series extended to 2027)
Nov 21/23 Greenbrier Tip-Off @ White Sulphur Springs, WV (Play two of Butler/South Carolina/Virginia)
Dec 20 vs. Butler (@ Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis)
TBD (11/9 or mid-December?) vs. Arizona State (@ United Center)

Still a lot of games to fill. It would be nice to start a H&H with another P4 school (or two). And who will be in this year's slate of Q4 opponents? I'll update this post as games are announced.

 

[mickbula]

I want to play duke. And I want to upset duke

 

[pschatz25]

Butler is definitely on the schedule now. We're playing them at Gainbridge (not Hinkle) in Indianapolis.


And Matthew Shelton posted that we're definitely playing Virginia and South Carolina at the Greenbrier, so Butler will only be on the schedule once.

 

[JournCat]

This is exciting. Collins thinks we have NCAA potential too. My only critique is skipping Hinkle!

 

[pschatz25]

This is exciting. Collins thinks we have NCAA potential too. My only critique is skipping Hinkle!

Agree about skipping Hinkle. I wonder if this game will be part of a bigger event, like in Milwaukee last year.

 

[JournCat]

Agree about skipping Hinkle. I wonder if this game will be part of a bigger event, like in Milwaukee last year.

It is. We're the companion game to Purdue vs. Auburn.

 

[pschatz25]

I saw that we're playing an *exhibition* H&H with Iowa State starting next season in Ames. Usually we play a D3 school in the exhibition game, but other schools play high profile opponents in exhibition games so I guess this is a step in that direction.

 

[NJCat]

I saw that we're playing an *exhibition* H&H with Iowa State starting next season in Ames. Usually we play a D3 school in the exhibition game, but other schools play high profile opponents in exhibition games so I guess this is a step in that direction.

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Home and Away possibly on the same day?? I think not.

 

[CappyNU]

Home and Away possibly on the same day?? I think not.

They fixed the wrong 2026 dates, I updated the referenced tweet in the previous post.

 

[NJCat]

They fixed the wrong 2026 dates, I updated the referenced tweet in the previous post.

Ah, my mistake. I didn't see that NU's home dates were in 2026. Mea Culpa.

 

[Catreporter]

Don't we have a game with Arizona State at home this year or perhaps at the United Center as part of a doubleheader as a payback from going there two years ago?

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

I want to play duke. And I want to upset duke

I like your thinking. I wouldn't be surprised, even though unlikely.

The ooc games already listed are goodies too!

 

[FeralFelidae]

I saw that we're playing an *exhibition* H&H with Iowa State starting next season in Ames. Usually we play a D3 school in the exhibition game, but other schools play high profile opponents in exhibition games so I guess this is a step in that direction.

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We've been playing our "secret" scrimmage vs. Iowa State the last few years, so we seem to already have a good relationship with them. Maybe this is the next step up.

 

[pschatz25]

Don't we have a game with Arizona State at home this year or perhaps at the United Center as part of a doubleheader as a payback from going there two years ago?

Good memory! I can't speak to the veracity of the WIldcatNation post, but ASU definitely owes us a game in Chicago. Someone else suggested it could be part of a double-headers with IU/Marquette on 11/9 at the United Center. That's not mid-December, but it would make sense for NU/ASU to be part of a double-header.

 

[NJCat]

Man, I don't get playing at the United Center. NU has a great home court advantage. How many students will make the trek downtown?

Just dumb.

 

[SimpsonElmwood]

Man, I don't get playing at the United Center. NU has a great home court advantage. How many students will make the trek downtown?

Just dumb.

That was likely part of the agreement with ASU. The game in Arizona was NOT in Tempe. It was held in Phoenix at the Footprint Center. KenPom lists such games as "semi-away."

 

[JournCat]

Man, I don't get playing at the United Center. NU has a great home court advantage. How many students will make the trek downtown?

Just dumb.

The best I can guess is programs make good money in these four-team tournaments because they can sell to four fan bases. But given that TV so outweighs ticket sales now — and NU is selling its own tickets for so much more than it used to — wouldn’t you rather have a good opponent come to W-R and also set up a good away test in the other year? I suppose you can argue playing in an NBA arena is prep for March but … to compare the two environments is silly.

 

[Catreporter]

Students are gone by second week in December so United Center would make more sense then. Remember, we played Dayton there in 2017.

 

[mickbula]

Students are gone by second week in December so United Center would make more sense then. Remember, we played Dayton there in 2017.

Attendance is most likely going to be similar to playing eastern mich at Ford field several decades ago. Trust me...I was there...it was like an abandoned cavern

 

[Catreporter]

Attendance is most likely going to be similar to playing eastern mich at Ford field several decades ago. Trust me...I was there...it was like an abandoned cavern

Don't get me wrong . I would hope NU AD could talk ASU into playing at Welsh-Ryan (maybe with a hefty bonus to the team), but we shall see.

 

[combes]

Illinois has UConn, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas Tech and Missouri in the nonconference. Ouch

 

[MC_Cat]

We have Central Connecticut State, Alabama A&M, Tennessee State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Southeast Missouri State.

 

[DaCat]

We have Central Connecticut State, Alabama A&M, Tennessee State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Southeast Missouri State.

I’m okay with these opponents considering all the new faces we have. I just hope Collins doesn’t overplay Nick in the early going and give others some good minutes.

 

[NJCat]

We have Central Connecticut State, Alabama A&M, Tennessee State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Southeast Missouri State.

Is this for 2025? Where did you find these games?

 

[MC_Cat]

Is this for 2025? Where did you find these games?

Heavy sarcasm here guys. Didn't think the /s was needed.

 

[WildcatWillie]

Heavy sarcasm here guys. Didn't think the /s was needed.

Confession: Being of limited and literal mind, I bit on the bait. Went to two schools' sites to see if their dates vs NU were available.

I was one of the suckers born every minute, according to P. T. Barnum.