Having been on the losing end of plenty of blowouts this season, the Northwestern women’s basketball team doesn’t have much experience down the stretch in close games.
And it showed on Senior Night Thursday, as the Wildcats (4-22, 0-15 Big Ten) fell apart in the final minute, falling 63-59 to Michigan (16-10, 6-9).
NU overcame a shoddy first half – the Cats were down 35-26 heading into the locker room – to gain the lead with just less than 15 minutes left in the game. NU held the lead until the five-minute mark, when the Wolverines capitalized on an NU turnover to take a 55-53 advantage.
The teams traded turnovers and trips to the foul line over the next three minutes. Then with 54 seconds remaining the Cats down 61-58, freshman Sarah Kwasinski went to the free-throw line.
Kwasinski made her first free throw but missed the second, and Michigan’s LeeAnn Bies grabbed the rebound. But on the ensuing possession, Kwasinski blocked a Michigan shot to keep NU in the game with 23 seconds remaining.
The Cats decided not to call a timeout and attempted to run their set offense for the final play. But freshman point guard Melissa Culver was called for traveling as she struggled on the floor to regain possession of a loose ball.
“I should have called a timeout,” NU head coach June Olkowski said after the game.
NU was forced to foul with just more than four seconds left. Michigan’s Alayna Ingram made both of her free throws, putting the game out of the Cats’ reach.
In the first half, the Cats committed 13 turnovers and Kwasinski struggled offensively – she was 2 of 6 from the field – and defensively, getting beat inside by Bies.
“We came out a bit flat, but we responded tremendously,” freshman Suzanne Morrison said. “(At halftime Olkowski) told us to keep our heads up and come out hard.”
Olkowski also said the Cats needed to get Kwasinski more touches, and the center responded by scoring six points in the first two minutes of the second half. Kwasinski finished with 13 points, despite sitting out late in the game because of foul trouble.
“It’s so easy for Kwasinski,” Michigan head coach Sue Guevara said. “She’s 6-foot-10 with those long arms. I have been impressed with her all year.”
Olkowski experimented with several line-ups late in the game, including one with three guards – Culver, freshman Samantha McComb and junior Anya Walker – and no returning players from last year’s squad.
“We went a little smaller because it gave us another outlet to get the ball upcourt when we knew they’d be pressing,” Olkowski said of the three-guard scheme.
As for the inexperience, Morrison said, youth should no longer be a factor.
“There’s no reason to say, ‘Oh my God, there are four 18-year-olds and a juco transfer out there,'” Morrison said. “Our goals are the same no matter how old we are.”
The Cats had more balanced scoring than usual, with four players in double-digits. In addition to Kwasinski’s 13, juniors Leslie Dolland and Anya Walker had 10 apiece and junior Natalie Will had 11. Culver added nine.
Despite the improved performance – the Cats lost their last two games by a combined 51 points – NU isn’t satisfied.
“You try to be as positive as you can,” a teary-eyed Olkowski said after the game. “But we’re at the end of our rope. We want a ‘W’ in the worst way, and we’re going to get one.”
The Cats play their final regular-season game at Indiana (13-13, 7-8) on Sunday afternoon before heading to the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis on Feb. 28.
But back in Evanston on Thursday, the late-game excitement came on the night of senior Bill
