The Power Five losing streak continues.
Northwestern fell in a hard-fought battle 67-58 to No. 14 Iowa on Monday, continuing to falter after its undefeated 6-0 start.
The Wildcats (6-9, 0-4 Big Ten) kept up with the Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten) until the third quarter before letting the opposition’s lead grow to 10 points with two minutes left.
An early turnover by senior forward Grace Sullivan set the tone for the game for both teams, with NU being unable to generate any offense for nearly two minutes. Three of the ’Cats’ first four possessions ended in turnovers.
NU’s first points of the day came from free throws from Sullivan, who continued to carry the load of Welsh-Ryan Arena on her back with 28 points.
After starting off hot from the field, the Hawkeyes had six straight misses that allowed NU to keep the game close. About halfway through the first quarter, the score was tied 6-6, and the ’Cats had a chance to take a lead.
Tayla Thomas found her early-season form and made a contested shot to give NU a brief lead, 8-6, before the Hawkeyes came back to tie it. Thomas finished the game with four points.
The turnover-laden first quarter continued, with the teams combining for 13 turnovers. Turnover chaos continued throughout the second quarter, as Sullivan and senior guard Caroline Lau, who was honored pregame for her 500th career assist, drove to the basket for back-to-back layups, putting NU up four.
Scrambles for the ball continued throughout the game, but the ’Cats had the early advantage. After tying the game at 17 with seven minutes to go, NU did not trail until there were 30 seconds left in the half, ending the half behind 32-29.
Despite the deficit, coach Joe McKeown felt as though the team could have been ahead. “It was a hard-fought game,” he said after the game. “I felt like we came to play.”
As the second quarter tipped off, the teams matched each other shot-for-shot, with Sullivan continuing to show why she leads the Big Ten in scoring. A three from junior guard Casey Harter got the bench off their feet and put NU up 40-37 halfway through the third.
However, the shooting went dry for the ’Cats, who started the third going 2-for-8 from the field. The team finished the quarter 4-for-14.
The Hawkeyes capitalized on the struggles and were able to end the quarter with a 50-44 lead thanks to a buzzer-beater from center Ava Heiden.
NU struggled to score in the final frame, as Sullivan’s signature shots began to clank off the rim and the fouls piled up. Halfway through the third, the ‘Cats made just their third shot of the quarter.
With a minute to go, NU trailed by four, but was unable to complete the comeback. The team started fouling with 50 seconds to go, but Iowa made enough free throws to ensure the victory was never in doubt.
Here are three takeaways from the defensive battle:
1. Strong defense carries team
The ’Cats defense had a great first quarter, holding the Hawkeyes to their lowest point total in the first frame since Nov. 20. That quarter included a four-minute stretch where the Hawkeyes were held scoreless. NU also forced three turnovers in that time to allow the slow-starting offense to come back and tie the game.
Thomas highlighted these efforts with two blocks to prolong the drought. Her defensive efforts were matched on the offensive end by her persistence at rebounding, making sure the struggling NU offense had a chance to stay in the game. Although her early stats showed just one offensive rebound, Thomas was a constant force in the paint.
One player who was able to break through the ’Cats defense was Heiden, who had 12 of the Hawkeyes’ 13 points in the first quarter. Heiden consistently left Thomas in the dust. It took a layup by Hawkeye guard Taylor Stremlow with 7:10 left in the second quarter for a non-Heiden Iowa player to get a field goal.
NU’s defense continued to hold steady in the early part of the third quarter, limiting Iowa to 10 points in the first eight minutes. The defense faltered late in the third, turning a tie game into a six-point lead the ’Cats couldn’t come back from despite limiting the Hawkeyes to five points in the first five minutes of the third.
“We had them scared,” Sullivan said.
McKeown said the team’s goal was to apply pressure to the Hawkeyes, and he felt they did a “great job.” However, McKeown also argued it could have been better if Iowa hadn’t had 29 free throw attempts.
2. Stars battle, but Sullivan comes out on top despite loss
Sullivan and Heiden were the two x-factors coming into the game. As the Big Ten’s highest per-game sorcerer coming into this game, Sullivan has led the ’Cats offense in a season where the team hasn’t always performed at its highest level.
She continued that performance today, constantly showing off her signature midrange shot to keep the game tight. Sullivan’s effort could be seen throughout the game, as she was forcing turnovers and grabbed seven boards.
McKeown said that Sullivan has become more fluid in her offense and “become a more confident player.” He credited assistant coach Tangela Smith with assisting Sullivan in her development.
Heiden was the Hawkeyes’ offense early in the game, scoring nearly 40% of her team’s first-half points. However, her game was limited in the second and third quarters as she struggled with discipline, picking up three fouls and playing only 13 minutes.
Sullivan scored nearly half of NU’s points while playing over 40 minutes, but her teammates couldn’t support her efforts. Meanwhile, Heiden’s teammate, guard Chazadi Wright, was able to reach double figures and ensure the Hawkeyes left Evanston with the victory.
3. Turnovers and fouls galore
Iowa averages around 15 turnovers per game, and they had nearly half that many in the first quarter, ending with six to the ’Cats’ seven.
However, NU cleaned up its act in the second quarter with just four turnovers. The Hawkeyes continued their inability to hold onto the ball, though, matching their first-quarter total in turnovers.
Most of these turnovers were the result of consistent defensive pressure by the ’Cats, but Iowa’s ballhandling struggles extended to their entire lineup: Of their 12 first-half turnovers, eight were by their starters.
For NU, Sullivan and Lau each gave up the ball three times in the first half, limiting the offense’s potential to capitalize on Iowa’s mistakes. McKeown’s team needs to work on limiting turnovers. “The biggest thing for us is finishing possessions,” he said.
The two of them weren’t the only ones to struggle, however. In addition to Heiden’s foul trouble, graduate transfer forward Daija Turner had four fouls in two minutes, and Thomas also finished with four fouls. Sullivan joined the party in the third quarter, picking up three fouls.
Overall, four of NU’s five starters finished with four fouls, and the other, Harter, had three.
The loss means the ’Cats still haven’t won a conference game or a game against a Power 5 team. “I don’t think our record is indicative of who we are,” McKeown said.
The Wildcats’ season continues on Thursday at Minnesota.
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