After two more comfortable wins over Thanksgiving break, the Wildcats are 5-0 for only the second time since 1995.

First, on Thanksgiving eve, Northwestern (5-0) defeated Yale 83-75 (1-4), as all five NU starters scored at least 11 points. Seniors Kendall Hackney and Dannielle Diamant led the team with 20 points apiece, and each added 10 rebounds as well. Freshmen Maggie Lyon and Lauren Douglas scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, and Douglas’s 10 boards gave the forward her second career double-double. Sophomore point guard Karly Roser added 11 points and seven assists for a starting lineup that scored 77 of the Cats’ 83 points.

After struggling to pull away from the Bulldogs on Wednesday, NU had no such problem four days later against geographic rival Loyola Chicago (3-2). The Cats sprung to a 20-point halftime lead over the Ramblers in an 80-53 victory. NU’s starters again all reached double figures, but no Loyola player scored more than 11. Diamant, the Cats’ top scorer and rebounder of the season, led NU with 18 points, while the bench contributed a total of 15. Roser continued her season-long flirtation with triple doubles, racking up 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists against three turnovers. The sophomore currently tops the Big Ten with 8.0 assists per game.

For her efforts over the holiday weekend and on Nov. 19 against Howard, Douglas was awarded her second Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor. During the three-game stretch, she averaged 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Having begun their season with five games at Welsh-Ryan Arena, the Cats will face their first road test Wednesday when they travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for a tilt with Boston College.

-Alex Putterman