By Philip Rossman-ReichThe Daily Northwestern

Senior forward A.J. Glasauer called it a relief. Freshman Beth Marshall couldn’t describe her feelings. Sophomore guard Kristin Cartwright compared it to winning a championship.

As freshman guard Tyra Grant’s desperation 3 hit the top of the backboard, all the Wildcats could do was celebrate.

For the first time since December, the Cats looked up at the scoreboard and saw a win.

NU snapped a school-record 18-game losing streak and surpassed last year’s win total by defeating Penn State 64-61 at Welsh-Ryan Arena Sunday.

“It’s unbelievable,” coach Beth Combs said. “These players did it today. This is about them and their intensity, and their heart and their focus. We’ve talked about it, (and) talked about. This is all them. It was not adjustments. It was a matter of them just putting it together and I couldn’t be prouder.”

After playing well recently, the Cats (7-19, 1-11 Big Ten) found the shooting touch they needed to win. They shot 43.8 percent from the field – their best performance from the field since a two point loss to Minnesota on Jan. 9. They hit 7 of 15

3- point shots, offsetting a 12 rebound advantage by Penn State.

But it also took some luck to finish this game.

Holding on to a one point lead with 33 seconds left, Grant broke through the Cats defense for a wide open lay-up. But she missed the easy shot.

The Lady Lions had another chance to tie the game on their next possession. But freshman center Kaitlin McInerney blocked sophomore guard Brianne O’Rourke’s shot with 17 seconds to play. While Penn State had a desperation three to tie the game, the victory was essentially sealed.

It was the Cats’ first win since defeating Princeton 67-53 on Dec. 1.

“The team brought each other together and said, ‘This is our win. Focus up,'” Cartwright said. “I think everyone played for each other so we didn’t have to go through what we’ve been through this whole year.”

Marshall had a career high 14 points to lead the Cats. Cartwright added 13 points and Glasauer scored 11 and had six assists.

Grant led the Lady Lions with 24 points and Brown added 19 points and 17 rebounds.

NU and Penn State (12-13, 5-7) traded the lead the entire game. The Cats held a five point advantage midway through the first half. The Lady Lions answered it, scoring six straight points.

The Cats led by four in the second half. But, the Lions responded again, capped off by a driving bank shot by Grant and a foul on Cartwright.

There were 18 ties and 23 lead changes throughout the game. But the Lady Lions never led by more than one in the second half.

“We finally put it together,” Glasauer said. “It was not a perfect game. But, we stayed with it and we never gave up … When they had a big run, we stopped it right then and there after two points, after four points. And we didn’t get down on ourselves … I’m so proud of everybody because I want to see a team who has a losing streak like that and comes back and wins a game against a pretty good team.”

Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].