Nicholson had his ups and downs, but played well overall in 2024-25.
On Friday, Inside NU reviewed the season of Northwestern guard Jalen Leach. Today, it’s time to discuss Matt Nicholson, a player who was polarizing among fans during the 2024-25 year.
The Good
The stats may not fully show it, but there was much to like about Nicholson’s play in his final NU season. The seven-footer averaged a career-high 24.5 minutes per game last year, shooting 58.6% from the field en route to averaging 5.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.
Beyond the box score, the Wildcats consistently felt Nicholson’s impact all over the floor. First and foremost, Nicholson was a very good screen-setter, often helping Northwestern’s quasi-point guards find some semblance of space after crossing the half-court line. In the post, the 280-pound center was often seen sealing off defenders, and doing so was one of his key methods to get buckets. On the glass, Nicholson showed some rebounding consistency as well. Although he wasn’t necessarily a double-digit rebounding machine, his tenacity and grit still showed through.
On defense, Nicholson’s production was there as well. He was exceptionally good at hard hedges against high ball screens, consistently doing very well at getting above the picks and shutting down guards in their tracks. His length and athleticism were also on display with some thunderous blocks, and although his defense wasn’t perfect, Nicholson was always a threat for a big, momentum-shifting play in any given game.
Finally, Nicholson deserves significant praise for his general attitude toward the game. He wasn’t afraid to throw down a huge dunk or fight through a bloody elbow to help his team win, and he truly embodied the never-give-up mentality that so many Northwestern players have.
The Bad
Still, there are a number of things to nitpick in Nicholson’s game. First and foremost is his lack of prolific scoring and rebounding numbers. In 2024-25, Nicholson played 33 games without recording a single double-double, putting up 10+ rebounds just three times and 10+ points just four times all season. On the surface, those numbers are pretty brutal for a starting center, and a lack of takeover ability hindered Nicholson from becoming a top-tier Big Ten center during his time at NU.
Nicholson also struggled with the ball in his hands, often fumbling passes and struggling to make effective scoring moves in the post. Although the senior averaged just 0.7 turnovers per game on the season, he nonetheless was an occasional detriment to the team’s offensive success, often mishandling the basketball or stalling out possessions by holding onto the ball for long periods. As a floor spacer, Nicholson was inconsistent, sometimes rotating around the court but often struggling to get to his spots with sufficient speed.
Finally, Nicholson never really improved at the free throw line during his five seasons at Northwestern, shooting just 53.9% in 2024-25. With an odd free-throw shooting form, difficulties were to be expected. Nonetheless, Nicholson consistently had trouble capitalizing on trips to the foul line. Fortunately for the ‘Cats, Nicholson shot a relatively modest 76 free throws in 33 games. But shots were far from a guarantee when he was at the line, which was difficult to swallow for a team that desperately needed to find offense at many points last year. As a 7’0 center, Nicholson wasn’t expected to shoot 80% or higher by any means, but a 53.9% season total and 50.7% lifetime percentage are woefully low.
The Bottom Line
It’s fair to critique many aspects of Nicholson’s game, and Northwestern fans were absolutely eager to do so at points last season. However, the bottom line is that Nicholson, despite his inconsistencies, brought more good than bad to the team in 2024-25.
A player like Nicholson was always plagued by the fact that his best work didn’t show up on the stat sheet. The Michigan native was arguably one of the best fits in Northwestern head coach Chris Collins’ lineups and he always seemed to be on his game about running plays properly, something that can’t always be said for the younger players.
As a senior, Nicholson was also tasked with being a leader, and he stepped up in that role for Northwestern. Although the team’s season didn’t end in the way players likely hoped, much of its realized success was due to the mentality Nicholson and other upperclassmen set for others. In his final season as a Wildcat, Nicholson was fearless and a leader by example. Any future Northwestern player could use his team-first, do-the-dirty-work mindset as a blueprint for how to maximize the team’s potential, as well as their own.