Four days after what may have been their worst game of the season, the Wildcats had to win on the road to stay out of the Big Ten cellar.
They didn’t have much trouble climbing the basement steps.
Carried on the back of senior Ifeoma Okonkwo, Northwestern (5-14, 1-7) won its first game in more than a month with an impressive win at Michigan, 77-57.
“I give all the credit to our team,” NU coach Beth Combs said. “They decided as a group of 11 that they were going to play with a lot of heart, a lot of intensity a lot of emotion.
“Regardless of the outcome, that’s the best game I’ve see us play all year.”
With 4:40 left in the first half, Michigan (6-14, 0-8) held a 27-22 advantage after 3-pointers from Krista Clement and Janelle Cooper sparked 11 unanswered points for the Wolverines. But the Cats pushed their way to a four-point halftime lead on the strength of three straight field goals by Okonkwo.
Okonkwo led the way, scoring 20 of NU’s 36 points in the first half. She finished 8 of 12 from the field with 29 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
“Foamy played an amazing game,” Combs said. “We needed to get a player on the low block and really look to just get inside and understand that points from the free throw line are the same as points from the outside – She just went hard to the basket and was able to take it to the line.”
The senior had to deal with her share of rough defending – her first 12 points came from the free throw line – but that was of little concern to Okonkwo.
“I was pretty much just going to the basket,” Okonkwo said. “If they’re gonna foul me and I’m making my free throws I don’t really care how I score.”
Okonkwo wasn’t the only player with a standout performance. Fellow upperclassman A.J. Glasauer overcame an 0-for-7 first half to finish with 10 points, eight assists, two blocks and two steals.
Freshman Kristin Cartwright scored 13 points and played a key role in a 15-1 run that put that game out of reach in the second half, while sophomore Melissa Miller pulled down 10 rebounds as NU outrebounded an opponent for the first time in 13 games.
Overall the team shot 48.3 percent from the field, a vast improvement over their recent performances including a dismal 19.6 percent showing against Penn State.
“We fed off each other,” sophomore Sara Stutz said. “Someone else hits a shot and it’s contagious. Everyone else starts hitting shots.”
After giving up 23 turnovers in their last outing, the Cats only surrendered the ball nine times while recording 16 assists. Starting with 2:10 to go in the first half, NU went 17:35 without committing a turnover.
The Cats’ zone defense flustered the Wolverines, forcing 17 turnovers.
“We’ve been working on our guard play all week,” Stutz said. “Penetrating, picking, and making sure we’re making the right extra passes instead of just making any extra pass.”
Relieved and excited to have avoided sole possession of last place, the Cats seemed confident heading into Purdue on Sunday.
“We have to remember how we feel tonight,” said Combs.
Reach David Kalan at [email protected].
