Four days removed from an away victory against Wisconsin, Northwestern returned home to face Illinois at Welsh Ryan Arena in search of its second consecutive conference victory for the first time in the post-Veronica Burton era.
Instead, the Wildcats plummeted to another 20-plus-point loss, handing the Fighting Illini their first Big Ten win this season.
With coach Joe McKeown out for the fourth game in a row, associate head coach Tangela Smith maintained her spot at the helm. McKeown has yet to coach a game in 2024.
NU got off to a rocky start, allowing Illinois to launch a 7-0 run, which spiraled into a nine-point deficit for the ‘Cats after the first ten minutes. Things only got more lopsided from there.
Down by 24 at halftime, chances of a victory for the hosts were especially slim, and the Fighting Illini swiftly slammed the door shut early in the second half.
Here are three takeaways from NU’s loss to Illinois.
Takeaways
1. The ‘Cats fell into an early hole and couldn’t dig out
After the first ten minutes of play, NU scored the same number of points as Illinois forward Camille Hobby.
With five offensive rebounds, zero turnovers and a 9-of-20 shooting clip, the Fighting Illini got off to a strong start that left the ‘Cats lagging behind. For the 15th time this season, NU trailed after the first period.
Early in the second frame, Illinois notched four more quick points, showcasing its dominance on both sides of the ball.
With 90 seconds remaining in the first half, the Illini led by 27 points.
2. Ice cold shooting leaves the ‘Cats without answers
The sub-zero temperatures and icy conditions were not the coldest factor at play in Evanston Sunday. The Cats’ shot 26.9% from the field on a dismal 17-for-66 clip.
With less than a minute left in the first half, the ‘Cats had yet to score 20 points. Combined with deficits in assists, rebounds and fast-break points, the hosts left Sunday’s contest with few positive takeaways.
NU managed to outpace the Fighting Illini in just two aspects — fouls and turnovers. The ‘Cats accumulated more personal fouls than field goal conversions — a testament to the blowout nature of the loss.
3. NU looks ahead to face Michigan State next week
Following their loss to Illinois, the road for the ‘Cats does not relent, as they look toward a difficult matchup on the road later this week.
The ‘Cats will travel to East Lansing to face Michigan State Wednesday. The Spartans (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten) fell to Iowa by just 3 points earlier this year, marking the Hawkeyes narrowest victory of the season.
The Spartans will play Ohio State on the road before facing NU later this week.
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Twitter: @AudreyPachuta
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