Fresh off a season in which the program had its first sellout in history, Northwestern women’s basketball returns to the hardwood of Welsh-Ryan Arena to build upon its disappointing 2023-24 campaign.
Here’s a look at The Daily Sports Desk’s predictions for the Wildcats.
Record: 15-14 (8-12 Big Ten)
Key Player: Caroline Lau
Breakout Contender: Kyla Jones
It’s been a rough two years for Northwestern women’s basketball.
The Wildcats have won just six of 36 Big Ten games in the past two seasons. But there are positives to look forward to this year.
Senior guard Melannie Daley, who averaged a career-high and team-high 13.3 points per game on a career-high and team-high 49.4% field goal percentage, returns to lead the ’Cats in coach Joe McKeown’s 17th season at the helm.
NU boasts a pair of top-ranked recruits, including Chicago native Xamiya Walton –– a guard ranked No. 50 in the ESPN HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings –– and New Jersey forward Tayla Thomas, by way of IMG Academy.
Several transfers, like guard Kyla Jones from Brown and forwards Taylor Williams and Grace Sullivan, will see substantive minutes on the floor for the ’Cats this season.
Junior point guard Caroline Lau, who excels as a passer and can connect from long range, returns to lead the ’Cats through a competitive schedule. Six Big Ten teams –– including No. 3 USC and No. 5 UCLA –– are ranked within the AP Top 25 poll. All six are slated to face the ’Cats.
The squad is amid a rebuild nearing its end and should take some steps toward competitive Big Ten play. McKeown must utilize his coaching experience and program-building expertise for any success this season.
— Henry Frieman, Sports Editor
Record: 14-15 (7-11 Big Ten)
Key Player: Melannie Daley
Breakout Contender: Casey Harter
Northwestern has never found its footing in the post-Veronica Burton era.
The Wildcats have just six conference wins in the past two seasons, and the Big Ten gauntlet became even tougher with the addition of former PAC-12 giants like No. 3 USC and No. 5 UCLA. But coach Joe McKeown went to work in the transfer portal ahead of the 2024 season.
Senior guard Melannie Daley — dubbed “Midrange Mel” for her signature jumper — took a significant leap during her third season at Welsh-Ryan Arena. NU will need a comparable, if not elevated, level of production from the Hastings, New York, native to stand a chance down the stretch.
The portal addition of former Brown guard Kyla Jones provides both experience and point guard moxie for the ’Cats, who have lacked both aspects at times in the past few seasons. Expect Jones to garner a hefty minutes share in 2024-25.
With NU looking to build toward the future, sophomore guard Casey Harter is a prime candidate to make a pivotal second-year leap. Add in a top-100 recruit in freshman guard Xamiya Walton, and the ’Cats might just conjure up some magic this season.
–– Jake Epstein, Gameday Editor
Record: 15-14 (7-11 Big Ten)
Key Player: Caileigh Walsh
Breakout Contender: Kyla Jones
The past four seasons of Northwestern women’s basketball have been like night and day.
The Wildcats started with back-to-back winning seasons and a second-round NCAA tournament appearance in 2021. But in each of the past two years, the ’Cats have finished 9-21 and have a combined 6-30 record in Big Ten conference play.
Coach Joe McKeown’s team underwent a roster overhaul this offseason as it attempts to course correct, with three transfer portal additions and four new freshmen recruits.
The rebuilt roster has a chance to make an early statement with notable non-conference games against Utah, Harvard, UNLV and Charleston. NU’s performance in the season’s first two months will be very telling for its Big Ten prospects.
The ’Cats return four players who started in double-digit games last year. Senior guard Melannie Daley is back after leading the team in scoring last year and is joined in the backcourt by junior guard Caroline Lau, the only player to start in all 30 games last year for McKeown.
Kyla Jones, a graduate student transfer guard from Brown, and sophomore guard Casey Harter will also feature in the rotation.
Senior forward Caileigh Walsh averaged 13 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game in 2023-24. The team will count on her veteran leadership and shooting as a stretch forward.
A healthy mix of returning veterans, transfer additions and exciting freshmen gives the ’Cats a chance to surpass their dismal record from the past two seasons.
— Andrew Little, Reporter
Record: 11-18 (5-13 Big Ten)
Key Player: Melannie Daley
Breakout Contender: Xamiya Walton
Walking to Welsh-Ryan Arena on a chilly winter afternoon to watch senior guard Melannie Daley bring the midrange game back to Chicagoland might be exactly what old-school basketball fans need. It’s as pure as a basketball experience gets.
The ’Cats have struggled recently, but there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about this season. Northwestern retained its offensive identity through its best two players last year — Daley and senior forward Caileigh Walsh — and saw a revitalization of the roster with seven new names entering the fold.
Freshman guard Xamiya Walton comes to Evanston with the perfect storyline to succeed — a Chicago native, the top-ranked recruit in Illinois from her class and the first high-school athlete to receive an NIL deal in the state — and the resume to back it up.
The team also has a major schematic aspect that should help new talent adjust faster: ball movement. The ’Cats recorded an assist on 70.5% of their field goals last season. Not only was this the highest mark in the NCAA, it’s the same as the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors.
While it’s not fair to expect the same level of success, creating opportunities for newcomers to get shots up during games bodes well for development. The return of junior point guard Caroline Lau and her 5.4 assists per game means so much for the team’s ability to continue playing its brand of offense and figure out how this roster fits together.
— Alex Boyko, Reporter
Record: 13-17, 6-12 Big Ten
Key Player: Kyla Jones
Breakout Contender: Tayla Thomas
Northwestern’s 2023-24 season was one to forget, plagued by persistent struggles to stack up against a powerhouse Big Ten and dominated by stars like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes. The Wildcats managed just nine wins overall and stumbled to a finish with only four conference victories, leaving fans yearning for brighter days.
But fast forward eight months, and coach Joe McKeown has plenty to be excited about as he prepares for his 17th season in Evanston.
With three transfers and two top 100-ranked freshmen joining the helm, the ’Cats will look to turn a rough season on its head with fresh life in the program.
Freshman forward Xamiya Walton, a 5-foot-7 Chicago standout ranked No. 50 by espnW, comes with an impressive high school resume, averaging 23.3 points and 5.1 assists while setting an Illinois High School Association record with 15 three-pointers in a single game. Joining her is Tayla Thomas, ranked No. 56 by espnW. She averaged 18 points and 16 rebounds per game at Florida’s IMG Academy, making her a strong candidate to immediately make her mark in the paint after Paige Mott’s departure.
NU’s biggest transfer portal pickup is graduate student guard Kyla Jones, who averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 rebounds at Brown last year. Jones will play a key role in this rebuilding year for McKeown’s squad.
While the ‘Cats may not make a big splash in a talented Big Ten field, especially with the addition of perennial powers like No. 3 USC and No. 5 UCLA, they are poised for a more promising season than last year.
– Audrey Pachuta, Senior Staffer
Record: 14-15 (7-11 Big Ten)
Key Player: Melannie Daley
Breakout Contender: Kyla Jones
Northwestern is in the middle of a rebuild and may be poised to make some strides toward success this season.
With the Wildcats finishing 9-21 in each of the last two seasons, there is clear room for improvement. But picking up some key transfers and a strong freshman class, things may be looking up for NU.
Key returners include junior guard Caroline Lau. The ’Cats’ captain averaged 7.8 points per game and logged three double-doubles last season, building on a strong freshman campaign. Senior forward Caileigh Walsh will bring three solid seasons of experience back to Welsh-Ryan Arena as one of the team’s top scorers — if she can stay out of foul trouble. Last season’s leading scorer Melannie Daley will also return to NU for her final season. The senior guard racked up 398 points during her junior season.
Newcomers to NU include graduate transfers Kyla Jones, from Brown, and Taylor Williams, from Western Michigan with a one-year stint at Michigan last year. Jones joined Brown’s 1,000-point club during her senior season and led her team in points per game, while Williams holds the Western Michigan record for rebounds in a single game with 21. so expect to see her as a fixture in the ’Cats lineup. Freshmen include top Illinois recruit Xamiya Walton and forward Tayla Thomas.
This year may not yield a winning record, but new and returning faces could create some success at NU this season.
— Paloma Leone-Getten, Design Editor
Record: 11-18 (4-14 Big Ten)
Key Player: Melannie Daley
Breakout Contender: Casey Harter
Northwestern is coming off of back-to-back brutal nine-win seasons, but the Wildcats roster has some potential.
The Wildcats will have senior guard Melannie Daley and senior forward Caileigh Walsh back, who provided a big chunk of their production last year. Another year in the system can only help junior guard Caroline Lau and sophomore guard Casey Harter.
As in most sports these days, however, the Big Ten is a tricky conference to be a part of. The non-conference slate will be a great chance for the ’Cats to pick up some wins, but the conference slate will not be kind to them. NU will have to go head-to-head with top teams in the nation like No. 5 UCLA, No. 3 USC and No. 14 Ohio State.
This team can only improve from last year’s season, though. The ’Cats’ stars will be more seasoned, and their new recruits can help bolster this team for the long haul.
– Anna Watson, Senior Staffer
Related Stories:
— Women’s Basketball: Michigan forward Taylor Williams transfers to Northwestern
— Women’s Basketball: Northwestern acquires Brown guard Kyla Jones
— Women’s Basketball: Northwestern lands Bucknell forward Grace Sullivan
