Maybe it’s the gym. Maybe it’s the fans. Maybe it’s the balls. Whatever the reason, Northwestern has a penchant for playing nail-biters at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats’ last three home games had been decided by an average of three points.
Thursday’s contest was no different. After falling behind by six with two minutes left, NU made its last five shots to push the game into overtime. In the extra period, it jumped ahead early and never looked back, knocking off Indiana 78-73.
“We made big play after big play the last couple minutes,” coach Joe McKeown said. “It was a great college basketball game. It tastes a little better when you win, but I was just proud that when we got down nine, we had a lot of heart coming back.”
The Cats (15-11, 6-9 Big Ten) played the Hoosiers (13-13, 6-9) neck-and-neck for the majority of the first period, but with five minutes left in the half, NU went cold. During the last five minutes of the first stanza and the first eight minutes of the second, the Cats made just two shots from the field.
“We got way too deliberate (in our passing),” McKeown said. “We had done a real good job the first 15 minutes of the game of moving the ball, reversing the ball, sealing, getting good shots. We just got a little tentative.”
Though NU had trouble scoring inside, it was able to get second chance opportunities. In total NU grabbed 50 rebounds, the most since it managed 51 boards against DePaul Nov. 24.
“It’s just good for us to be aggressive and stay on the offensive glass,” McKeown said. “Because we’re not the most aggressive cat in the jungle, so to speak.”
NU’s stout defense and Indiana’s miscues kept the Cats close, and it wasn’t long before NU got hot from beyond the arc. After only hitting three 3-pointers in the first 32 minutes, the Cats nailed five long balls in the final seven-and-a-half minutes. In particular, guard Beth Marshall sparked NU’s comeback. The junior was 3-for-4 from beyond the arc in the second half en route to a career-high 26 points.
Marshall wasn’t the only player to get hot at the right time. Freshman Kendall Hackney was shooting 3-of-17 until the final minute, when she sank two mid-range shots on two consecutive possessions.
“We knew the high post was going to be open,” Hackney said. “We needed shots, and I was open two times in a row so I shot them and they went in, which was the best part.”
The late shooting spree was not a coincidence. Part of the Cats’ strategy coming into the game was to get the ball inside to center Amy Jaeschke and then to kick it out to their perimeter shooters.
“Sometimes with Amy you have to use her a little bit as a decoy,” McKeown said. “We worked really hard in practice, kicking the ball out and finding Beth in spots because she’s our best shooter.”
The Hoosiers countered Hackney’s shots with six free throws in the final 30 seconds. But the Cats responded after each pair, with Marshall and senior guard Kristin Cartwright each hitting 3s.
NU maintained the lead throughout the entire extra period, although the Hoosiers did come within one point. With just under two minutes left, guard Jamie Braun missed a layup, but teammate Hope Elam came down with the rebound. Elam’s shot was blocked by Jaeschke, and Indiana forward Danilsa Andujar grabbed the loose ball. Jaeschke swatted Andujar’s attempt as well, but the ball went out of bounds and Indiana retained possession. Guard Jori Davis’ next shot clanked off the rim, and Hackney grabbed the rebound. After that the Hoosiers began to foul, and Marshall made four straight free throws to ice the game.
“I trust (Marshall) with the ball at the end of the game,” McKeown said. “We’re 15-11, and it’s the first winning season we’ve had since 1997. Her imprint is all over this.”[email protected]
