As Northwestern’s only senior, forward Ifeoma Okonkwo had the Senior Night festivities at Welsh-Ryan Arena all to herself.

Before the game, she received a bouquet of purple and white flowers and the game ball from the Feb. 5 win over Wisconsin, the game in which she scored her 1,000th collegiate point.

But as Okonkwo posed for pictures with her family, she seemed a little antsy.

“A lot of people were going, ‘Oh, Foamy, it’s your night,” she said. “I was getting a little anxious.”

Once the referee threw the opening tip into the air, Okonkwo celebrated her last home game the best way she knew how – by doing what she’s done all year.

She posted 23 points and seven rebounds, both team highs, in the Wildcats’ 60-59 loss to Illinois. Okonkwo put the team on her back for stretches during the game, keeping NU in it until the end.

With 4:14 left in the first half and the Cats trailing 25-18, an Okonkwo baby hook sparked an 8-2 run to close out the half. Okonkwo scored six of the team’s points in that span.

When the Cats fell back behind by eight with 14:54 left in the game, two Okonkwo free throws spurred NU to a 9-0 run, giving the Cats their first lead since 14:53 left in the first half. A left-handed layup from Okonkwo capped that run.

“That’s what I’ve always been trying to do this season,” she said, “Being the only senior and just trying to be that leader. There are just times that I need to step up and hope my team can follow me.”

Despite this effort, the team came up just short in Okonkwo’s last home game, with Chelsea Gordon’s last-minute free throw sealing the game for the Illini.

Okonkwo, starting her 70th game at NU, said she did not want to place an extra emphasis on winning her last game at Welsh-Ryan.

“I wasn’t trying to focus on it being my last game,” she said, “Because I didn’t want to put way too much emotion into the game. I was just trying to play my game.”

Her teammates felt differently about getting the win for their senior leader.

Junior forward A.J. Glasauer, who has played with Okonkwo for three years and will be the only one honored on Senior Night next year, was choked up when talking about the result.

“We wanted to win for her,” she said. “I would have given anything to win. It’s her night. That’s her last home game she’ll ever play for Northwestern. We had it and blew it.”

Okonkwo had the ball in her hand with 2.6 seconds to go, but her desperation 3-pointer from just inside the half-court line drew nothing but air.

She stood with her hands on her hips, eyes cast down to the floor as Illini players celebrated around her. But she bounced back, raising her head and jogging over to join her teammates in congratulating the winning team.

Just like she’s done for the last four years.

Reach David Morrison at [email protected].