Northwestern didn’t let the cold weather spoil its return to Evanston on Sunday as it defeated Cornell 67-54, stringing together back-to-back wins for the first time this season. 

The Wildcats (3-3, 0-0 Big Ten) got off to a quick start, taking the lead off a second-chance tip-in from graduate student guard Kyla Jones a minute and change into the contest.

The ‘Cats never wavered from then on, retaining the lead over the Big Red (3-6, 0-0 Ivy League) for the rest of the game. 

Junior forward Grace Sullivan led NU with 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Jones scored 15 points, while graduate student forward Taylor Williams tallied 10 points and 13 rebounds. 

“She wasn’t afraid to shoot the ball. I was really proud of her today,” coach Joe McKeown said of Sullivan’s performance. “Real excited about the future for her. She’s got a great attitude (and) work ethic.” 

Willams, meanwhile, played a big role in helping Northwestern get off to a strong start, attacking the Cornell defense, picking up crucial rebounds and making big-time plays for second-chance buckets. 

She continued her torrential pace five days removed from her best start of the season, when she scored 22 points and snagged 14 rebounds against Loyola Chicago. 

“Taylor Williams is one of the best rebounders I’ve coached in a long time,” McKeown said. “She was named a captain in October before she ever played one second of Northwestern basketball, just by her energy, her attitude (and) what she brings every day.”

Along with Williams’ impact, Sullivan had an explosive first quarter, notching nine points in the first frame. 

NU’s defense was tested near the end of the first quarter as Cornell went on a 5-0 run, reducing the ’Cats’ lead to just one point. But after two free throws by senior guard Melannie Daley and a Williams layup, the Wildcats headed into the second quarter up 17-12.

Early into the second period, freshman guard Xamiya Walton immediately made an impact, checking in and hitting a deep three-pointer. Shortly after, the Big Red went on a 6-2 run to keep things close.

Daley dazzled for the ‘Cats throughout the second quarter, recording three key baskets to keep NU in front. Jones sealed the first half with a half-court buzzer-beater, knocking down a shot from the logo as time expired to send the teams to the locker room with the ’Cats ahead 36-28.

“It felt great,” Jones said of her half-court shot. “I threw it up there and I was like, ‘It looks like it’s going in.’”

Both teams started scoreless through the first three minutes of the second half, warranting a NU timeout as it maintained an eight-point lead.

However, Cornell struck first straight out of the break, getting within six points of Northwestern. The ‘Cats held their lead firmly, however, putting together a 9-0 run. Though the Big Red put together an offensive onslaught, NU still led by eight by the end of the third quarter.

At the beginning of the fourth, the Big Red got off to a hot start, giving Northwestern some trouble as they cut the ‘Cats’ lead to just three points with about six minutes left.

Just when the momentum seemed to have shifted in favor of Cornell, Williams silenced the opposing fans’ celebrations with two key buckets. The NU domination continued with two back-to-back driving layups for Jones to give the ‘Cats a seven-point lead with about three minutes left.

Down the stretch, Sullivan put her finishing touches on a spectacular afternoon with three straight buckets. The ’Cats went on a 10-0 run in the last four minutes of the game to secure the 67-54 victory.

“I thought we did a much better job closing out,” Mckeown said. “When they missed, we were there, we were able to rebound. So, those last five, six minutes give us some things to build on.”

NU will now look toward facing DePaul in its second contest of a two-game homestand before heading on the road to take on Michigan next Sunday.

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