ROSEMONT, Ill.-Chris Collins knows how good he had it the last couple years.

In the closing minutes of a game, when Northwestern needed a bucket, they just put the ball in point guard Boo Buie’s hands and let him go to work.

“We knew, in the last four minutes, where the ball was going,” said Collins at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday. “That’s a great luxury to have a closer. Boo was the ultimate closer.”

Now, the school’s all-time leader in scoring and runner-up in assists, and a two-time, first-team All-Big Ten selection, is gone. Life is going to be different.

Buie’s absence is likely the primary reason why Big Ten media picked Northwestern to finish 16th in the new-look, 18-team Big Ten, despite the fact that the Wildcats finished third last year, won a game in the NCAA Tournament and return 66% of their minutes, the most in the league.

It makes very little sense. The Wildcats return six of their top eight players from last season – all but Buie and starting guard Ryan Langborg – yet they are still the Rodney Dangerfields of the conference, never getting any respect.

You might think that thinking so little of his program might rankle Collins. Quite the contrary. He says he loves it.

Like most coaches, he will use anything at his disposal to motivate his players. And the media handed him a carrot the size of center Matt Nicholson to work with.

“I thought it was great,” said Collins, who is entering his 12th year heading the program. “I told the guys yesterday at practice, I said, ‘Obviously, Boo and [graduated guard Ryan] Langborg won all those games last year and you guys had nothing to do with it'… That’s what people think of you.”

This is nothing new for Northwestern, of course. As star guard Brooks Barnhizer, a preseason All-Big Ten pick, explained, this happens every year.

He pointed out that in 2022-23, the Wildcats were picked to finish last and wound up second. Last year, he remembers being picked “in the middle of the pack” and ending the season in third. Both years, they posted 12 wins in the Big Ten and won a game in the NCAA Tournament.

“We know that, year in and year out, we’re not going to get the accolades…,” said Barnhizer. “At this point, it’s kind of part of the formula. We know who we are and how we have to win.

“Although we return [66% of the] minutes, a lot of the media think we’re going to finish bottom three. It kind of shows what people think of us, and we use it as motivation. It’s like that every year.”

“That’s who we are,” remarked Collins. “We’re a chip-on-our-shoulder program. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. I had it as a player. I like to recruit kids like that.” He pointed out that many of his program’s stars, like Buie, Barnhizer, Nicholson and Ty Berry didn’t have any other Big Ten offers.

Still, to prove all those doubters wrong, Northwestern will have to replace Buie, who was the team’s alpha on the court and in the locker room.

On the court, Barnhizer will likely be the guy who gets the ball with the game on the line. Collins feels like he’s ready for it.

Barnhizer was a sophomore on that 2023 NCAA team and was the No. 3, behind Buie and Chase Audige. Then last year, after Audige moved on, he moved up to No. 2 in the pecking order.

“He came to me and said, ‘Coach, I’m ready to be that No. 2.’ Boy, was he ever,” said Collins.

Barnhizer averaged 14.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game and was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team.

Now, the 6-foot-6 senior from Lafayette, Ind., is ready to be the No. 1.

“I think I would like to be that guy,” said Barnhizer. “I think I’m ready to take that role. But we have a lot of guys on this team who can score and really help us out.”

In addition to playing the late-game closer, Northwestern will have to replace Buie as the primary ballhandler. As anyone who watched the Wildcats over the last couple of years can attest, the ball always seemed to be in No. 0’s hands. If he wasn’t scoring, he was distributing the ball and running the offense.

Collins says they will likely take a committee approach.

“We don’t have that Boo-type point guard,” said Collins. “We have guys who can handle the ball and initiate the offense.”

Barnhizer, of course, is one of them. He took on that role at times last season, bringing the ball up against bigger forwards to conserve some of Buie’s energy. Collins also named new grad transfer Jalen Leach, someone whom Barnhizer described as “really dynamic.” Sophomore Jordan Clayton and true freshman KJ Windham will also handle the rock for the Wildcats, according to the coach.

Collins added that while the Wildcat have been primarily a pick-and-roll team with Buie, they will do some different things this season to take advantage of their lineup. He mentioned having Berry, who shot better than 40% on three-pointers last season, come off of screens, and allowing Barnhizer and Martinelli to play more in the mid-range, and even in the post as bigger wings.

Buie was the unquestioned leader in the locker room, the straw that stirred the drink. But Collins feels like he has plenty of veterans who will pick up the slack this year.

“[Berry] is the happiest guy you’ll ever be around. Brooks kinda brings that toughness,” said Collins. “Matt [Nicholson] has emerged a little bit, which is great.”

So Collins welcomes the naysayers. He thinks the Wildcats are ready to prove them all wrong.

Again.

“Even though we have a lot of guys back, I think we know the narrative coming into the year: can you win without Boo,” said Collins. “I think our guys are motivated.”

More to come from Big Ten Media Days.