Three days removed from a comeback victory over Rutgers that capped a three-game winning streak, Northwestern headed east for a Tuesday tussle with Penn State. With coach Joe McKeown missing the game due to illness, associate head coach Tangela Smith led the charge in his stead.
Although the Wildcats (6-8, 1-2 Big Ten) put up an early fight, the Nittany Lions (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) defended their home court and ran away with a statement home win.
As both squads traded scores early, junior guard Melannie Daley canned her first three shots of the game, helping NU build an early 8-5 advantage. However, Penn State dialed up the pressure during the first frame’s closing minutes and stymied the visitors’ momentum.
When the dust settled, a 19-3 Nittany Lion run left the ‘Cats down 24-11 after 10 minutes of action.
Penn State carried its momentum into the second period, launching a 16-5 run in the quarter’s opening four minutes. Cruising into the intermission, the Nittany Lions held a 49-29 halftime lead and looked well on their way to their first conference victory.
Forcing 10 third-quarter turnovers and knocking down 11-of-20 shots from the field, Penn State put any slim hopes of a comeback to bed. Behind a balanced scoring attack, the Nittany Lions carried a 74-41 lead into the final frame.
With the contest all but settled, both coaches rotated their lineups and let role players get some game-action.
Here are three takeaways from NU’s road loss to Penn State.
Takeaways:
1. Ice-cold first quarter stretch puts ‘Cats in an early hole
Daley couldn’t miss, the backcourt was clicking and the Nittany Lions appeared on their heels. Holding an 11-7 edge, NU looked to flip the script of its typical slow starts to games — especially in conference play.
Then, a media timeout hit with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter. At the snap of a finger, the ‘Cats couldn’t conjure a sniff of the basket. On the defensive end, their opponents couldn’t miss.
Errant passes, missed shots and turnovers mounted for NU, turning a once promising phase into a proverbial nightmare. Despite Smith’s attempt to quell Penn State’s dominant stretch on a timeout, the Nittany Lions scored the quarter’s final 17 points.
2. First half turnovers spiral out of control
For a younger Big Ten outfit, ball security can often pose problems. That proved pertinent Tuesday night.
After just one quarter, the ‘Cats compiled nine turnovers — putting the team on pace for an absurd 36 turnover total. The tenacious Nittany Lion press left NU’s offense with more questions than answers, simultaneously placing the defense on the backfoot.
The team’s second quarter effort didn’t see much improvement, giving away eight more turnovers in the quarter. Despite a 7-of-12 shooting clip from the field, the turnover bug plagued the ‘Cats throughout the period and left them with a 20-point halftime deficit.
3. NU looks to regroup at home against No. 20 Ohio State
The road ahead doesn’t relent for the ‘Cats, with a perennial Big Ten contender entering Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday. The Buckeyes dropped their last contest against Michigan this past Saturday, and both teams will be hungry to pick up their first victory of the new year.
Last season, Ohio State firmly controlled the season series, defeating NU by at least 30 points in both matchups. With just three days to regroup from a dismal road effort, the ‘Cats have plenty to improve upon.
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