If the fairy godmother of women’s basketball granted each member of the Northwestern basketball team one wish, all of them probably would ask for a win.
Unfortunately, she was not in attendance at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday night as the Wildcats (7-12, 0-8 Big Ten) dropped their eighth consecutive game, this one to Iowa, 76-61.
It has been more than one month since NU last won, a Dec. 29 victory over Hampton at the Loyola Marymount tournament.
“We have been improving,” freshman point guard Breanne Smilie said. “But some stuff is still hurting us. We know who the best players are. We just can’t stop them.”
The loss was coach June Olkowski’s 100th at NU.
Turnovers again proved to be the difference for the Cats. NU shot 48 percent from the field compared to Iowa’s 47 percent, but the Cats committed 20 turnovers to only 14 by the Hawkeyes (11-7, 5-2).
“The press hurt us in the first half,” Olkowski said. “If you take four or five of those turnovers away, it’s a different ball game.”
Rebounding proved to be another weakness for NU. Iowa pulled in 16 offensive boards, which contributed to 42 points in the paint and 10 second-chance points. Iowa out-rebounded the Cats 36-29.
“They do a great job on the boards,” Olkowski said. “Rebounding has been a thorn in our side all year.”
With nine minutes left in the second half, it appeared NU would have to deal with more than just a loss. The injury bug struck the team’s lone star — forward Ifeoma Okonkwo — when an Iowa player fell onto her right ankle. Okonkwo collapsed to the floor, but re-entered the game a few minutes later.
Although the Cats were down 40-30 at the half, the deficit would have been much worse without Okonkwo’s impressive play. The sophomore led the Cats with 14 points and 10 rebounds, single-handedly keeping them in the game with her constant hustle.
On two occasions she ran down loose balls that other players had given up on. After a 6-2 NU run to open the game, Okonkwo came from nowhere to grab guard Melissa Culver’s missed shot. And with 15:37 left in the first half, Okonkwo blew past two Iowa players to secure a loose ball at half court.
“In order to get the team pumped up, that’s what I have to do — drive,” Okonkwo said.
But the one-two punch of Iowa center Jamie Cavey and guard Kristi Faulkner, who combined for 46 points, was too much for Okonkwo’s standout performance. Cavey owned the first half, scoring 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbing four rebounds.
She didn’t let up her dominance in the second half. Her four quick points ignited a 6-0 Hawkeyes run shortly after the break and ultimately quashed any comeback hopes for NU.
Faulkner put on a show of her own in the second half, scoring 16 of her 22 points.
The return of junior point guard Samantha McComb next week could spur the Cats to victory. Until then, NU will have to endure one more game without its floor general when it travels to No. 5 Penn State on Sunday for a 2 p.m. contest.
