Tip-off

Northwestern (2-0) opened the season with back-to-back comfortable wins on the road Friday against Chicago State (0-1), 102-48, and in their home opener Sunday over Hampton University (0-1), 62-36.

The Cats won in resounding fashion against Chicago State on Friday, delivering a complete effort on both sides of the ball. NU shot a blistering 63.3 percent from the field and 56.5 percent from three on offense, while harassing Chicago State into 39 turnovers defensively that led to 61 NU points.

The Cats shared the ball well, assisting on 27 of their 38 baskets, and won the rebounding battle 31-17 behind a career-high 11 rebounds from senior center Alex Cohen.

Junior guard Maggie Lyon and Cohen led the Cats with 18 points apiece. Sophomore forward and Preseason All-Big Ten Team selection Nia Coffey added 17 of her own, while fellow sophomore and point guard Ashley Deary scored 10 points and tied a school record with 11 steals on the night.

Friday was the first time the Cats scored more than 100 points in a game since 1996, and was the largest margin of victory for the team in its seven years under head coach Joe McKeown.

The offense was not as locked-in during Sunday’s win over Hampton and struggled at times against the full-court pressure of the Lady Pirates, but a stifling defensive effort gave NU plenty of margin for error on the other end.

The Cats shot just 42.6 percent and 30.8 percent from three against the Lady Pirates, but held their opponent to 14.1 percent shooting on the game while forcing 16 turnovers and allowing only 16 free throws to NU’s 28.

Coffey led the way for the Cats on Sunday with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Lyon added 14 points and reserve senior guard Karly Roser poured in 11 of her own.

After using his bench liberally in the win over the Cougars, McKeown stuck with a seven-player rotation against Hampton, with starters Cohen, Coffey, Lyon, Deary, and sophomore guard Christen Inman and reserves Roser and junior forward Lauren Douglas.

“We have a starting seven, seven players who have had starting experience the last two to three years,” McKeown said. “In these early games we want to develop our depth as well.”

After her impressive freshman season and the high expectations of a preseason All-Big Ten first team spot as chosen by the conference’s head coaches, Coffey picked up right where she left off and is averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds per game on the young season. 

“I just go out there and do what I have to do for my team,” Coffey said, “whether that’s defending the other team’s best player, rebounding, scoring, it doesn’t matter.”

In both games, NU struggled to maintain its preferred fast tempo without turning the ball over. The Cats gave the ball away 24 times on Friday and another 18 times in Sunday’s game.

“It comes with time,” Roser said. “We just need to do a better job of staying patient and trusting our teammates with the ball.”

McKeown said limiting turnovers will be a focus in the coming days of practice, but knows it’s early in the season still.

“These November and December games are all about getting ready for the Big Ten season,” he said.

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