With just 11 seconds remaining and Northwestern holding a four-point lead, junior forward Grace Sullivan intercepted an inbound pass to clinch a 69-63 victory over Penn State, securing the team’s first Big Ten win of the season — and its first victory in 2025
Sullivan’s timely play capped off a strong team effort, with senior guard Melannie Daley adding a team-high 20 points in addition to four steals and four assists. The Wildcats (8-14, 1-10 Big Ten) capitalized on Nittany Lion (10-14, 1-12 Big Ten) miscues, forcing 24 turnovers and converting them into 21 points.
“I give our team a lot of credit,” coach Joe McKeown said postgame. “We’ve never given up.”
Held to just two points in the first quarter, Daley lit up the floor after the first 10 minutes. Like clockwork, the Hastings, New York native consistently evaded Penn State defenders to convert mid-range opportunities.
The Nittany Lions had no answer.
The ’Cats rallied from a seven-point deficit at the start of the second quarter to a one-point lead at the buzzer thanks to Daley’s 5-of-6 shooting from the floor in that frame.
“We see Mel get those back-to-back shots,” Sullivan said postgame. “We’re getting back on defense. We’re clogging it up. We’re in their faces. It just builds and builds and builds like a snowball effect.”
After the break, both NU and its opponents cooled off in the third quarter and entered the final period tied at 41 apiece.
Led by junior guard Caroline Lau’s playmaking prowess and sophomore guard Casey Harter’s shooting, the hosts quickly caught fire in the final frame, scoring 28 points — just two points short of their first-half total.
In the first minute of the final quarter, senior forward Caileigh Walsh and Harter drained back-to-back 3-pointers, spurring the ’Cats to a 47-41 advantage. Daley and Lau went coast-to-coast on fast-break opportunities in consecutive possessions, extending NU’s lead to nine with 7:36 to go.
As the hosts’ lead ballooned to a game-high 12 points, Penn State switched to a full-court press, forcing the NU offense to sputter. But the ’Cats adapted their strategy to maintain their lead and keep their opponents at bay.
“That’s been a big Achilles (heel) for us — our turnovers,” McKeown said postgame. “I think our record would be a lot better in the Big Ten if we could take care of the ball. Our practices have been really competitive, focused on trying to take the ball in reverse. We’ve worked a lot on passing — trying to pass to your teammates, not the other team.”
McKeown’s squad averages 14.9 turnovers per game, but only lost the ball 11 times against Penn State.
As the ’Cats prepare to face fellow Big Ten basement dwellers Purdue in their next contest, McKeown hopes to carry his team’s winning momentum into the road trip.
“Purdue — that’s a place where basketball is so important and the fanbase is so strong,” he said. “You can’t do anything but go down there and be ready to play.”
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