Northwestern Sullivan-Ubben head men’s basketball coach Chris Collins unveiled the program’s coaching staff for the 2022-23 season on Wednesday afternoon. Veteran collegiate coach Chris Lowery has joined the Wildcats staff as an assistant coach. Additionally, alum Bryant McIntosh has been elevated to assistant coach, while Brian James has been appointed as special assistant to the head coach.
Lowery comes to Evanston after spending the previous 10 seasons as associate head coach at Kansas State. He played an instrumental role in one of the most successful stretches in K-State history, which included 170 wins, two Big 12 regular-season championships (2013 and 2019) and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019). The Wildcats’ two conference titles are the second-most by a Big 12 school during that span including the 2012-13 championship, Kansas State’s first in the Big 12, and the first conference title by the school in more than 36 seasons.
The Evansville, Ind. native brings eight years of head coaching experience to the bench, guiding his alma mater Southern Illinois to a 145-116 (.556) record from 2004-12. The Salukis made four postseason appearances, claimed three Missouri Valley titles and averaged 18.1 wins per season. Lowery’s SIU teams made three NCAA Tournament appearances (2005, 2006, 2007) and reached the Sweet 16 in 2007. He was named the league’s coach of the year twice (2005, 2007).
“We are thrilled to add Chris Lowery to our coaching staff,” expressed Collins. “This is a terrific addition to Northwestern basketball, as Chris brings a wealth of experience and success as both a head and assistant coach at this level. He has been part of many NCAA Tournament teams in his career and is an outstanding teacher and recruiter. Chris has been mentored by some of the best coaches at the college level, and I’m excited to see the impact he will make in our program, both on and off the court.”
McIntosh will be an on-court coach in 2022-23 after serving as the program’s assistant director of basketball operations the last three seasons. McIntosh is one of NU’s most accomplished players ranking sixth all-time in the school’s record book with 1,683 career points, while leading the Wildcats to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Greensburg, Ind. product is one of three players in Big Ten Conference history to accrue over 1,600 points and 700 assists in a career.
“It’s great to be able to add Bryant McIntosh as an assistant coach,” said Collins. “Bryant has been an integral part of our staff the last few years and he is a rising star in coaching. We all know what Bryant means to Northwestern basketball as one of the all-time greats in our program, with his teams reaching a level of unprecedented success. His experience and knowledge will make him an amazing resource for our players in all areas.”
James slides into an off-court role as special assistant to the head coach, after serving as assistant coach for nine seasons in Evanston. James will continue to bring his 45-plus years of coaching experience to the program, which includes 14 years as an NBA assistant and 18 years in the Illinois high school ranks. He is credited for drawing up “The Play,” Nathan Taphorn’s length-of-the-court pass to Dererk Pardon that resulted in a buzzer-beating 67-65 win for Northwestern over Michigan that all but clinched NU’s first NCAA tournament berth in program history.
“Brian James has served as my right hand man on our staff for the last nine years,” said Collins. “He has made a huge impact during his time at Northwestern and is someone that I have looked to for guidance since I played for him in high school. Brian has been a tremendous coach at every level from the NBA to college and high school for over 45 years, and his knowledge and experience has been an incredible asset for us. I am excited for Brian to take on a role where he can continue to mentor not only our players, but our coaching staff on a daily basis.”
Talor Battle rounds out the on-court staff for 2022-23 and returns for his second season in Evanston.
Northwestern opens the 2022-23 campaign inside Welsh-Ryan Arena on Monday, Nov. 7, against Chicago State.
Northwestern Basketball Staff Update
