In a season full of ups and downs, Northwestern is moving in the right direction during conference play.
After a 10-game losing streak, the Wildcats (8-10, 2-5 Big Ten) have won back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 2022 after taking down Wisconsin 66-61 at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday night. NU handed the Badgers (11-7, 3-4 Big Ten) their third straight loss.
“(These wins) are a big momentum shift coming off the losing streak,” sophomore forward Tayla Thomas said. “It’s just showing we could be who we think we are.”
Senior forward Grace Sullivan led the ’Cats with 19 points, one of four NU players to tally double-digit points. Thomas tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds, senior guard Caroline Lau notched 15 points and nine assists, and junior guard Casey Harter added 10 points.
Sophomore guard Xamiya Walton posted five points, four assists and three steals, helping to start the fast break alongside Lau for much of the contest.
NU shot a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line, marking the second time this season the squad shot 100% at the charity stripe.
“That’s big for us, and they came at the right time,” coach Joe McKeown said.
For the fifth straight game, McKeown played an identical starting lineup. The ’Cats’ five starters accounted for all of the team’s first-half points and all but four points during the game.
NU was aggressive on the boards to open the contest, grabbing four offensive rebounds on its first possession. The ’Cats secured eight boards in the first five minutes of the game.
However, points came at a premium for NU. The ’Cats shot 0-for-6 with two turnovers before Sullivan made a layup for her team’s first points after almost four minutes of play.
After allowing multiple open layups, NU buffed up its interior defense, limiting the damage for the remainder of the period. Though Wisconsin knocked down a 3-pointer and a fastbreak layup on the ensuing two possessions, the ’Cats allowed just four points and one basket during the final four minutes of the first quarter.
Both squads ran their offenses through the paint for most of the first quarter, with 16 of the 29 total points coming at the dish. The aggressive paint play put both teams in the bonus, where they combined for eight points at the charity stripe.
In the second quarter, the Badgers built on their 15-14 lead, outmaneuvering NU’s defensive gameplan and making nearly every shot. In the first five minutes, Wisconsin made two layups, two 3-pointers, one mid-range jumper and one free throw.
The ’Cats seemed to struggle with shot creation through much of the first two quarters, and as the game headed toward halftime, they looked to produce on the fast break. Led predominantly by Lau, NU sprinted down the floor after almost every defensive rebound and on their seven steals.
“When we can get out and run, that really opens the floor for us,” McKeown said.
With shortened possession time and high percentage shots, the ’Cats slowly broke through Wisconsin’s interior defense. In the final seven minutes of the second quarter, every made basket for NU came in the paint. The team attempted just five 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes.
Despite trailing by five points during the first quarter and by 10 in the second quarter, the ’Cats made last-second shots at the end of each period to keep the deficit at one possession.
The Badgers led 32-30 at the start of the third quarter, but unlike the previous two quarters, NU didn’t let its opponent pull ahead. The ’Cats continued to have a strong day in the paint, and after a handful of layups, held a 38-34 lead.
Wisconsin didn’t shy away from scoring at the hoop itself, making four layups in the span of three minutes. After falling behind again, NU broke the trend of paint play, firing and draining three straight shots from long range to take the lead. Two of those three were part of a ’Cats’ 10-0 scoring run to close out the third quarter.
With 10 minutes to play, NU led 51-44, but the game was far from over. The 3-point barrage continued in the fourth quarter, as the squads combined for four makes from downtown to open the period. The Badgers repeatedly cut the deficit to four, but the ’Cats answered back almost immediately after every bucket.
In the game’s final minutes, NU led 64-58 and looked to close its second straight win. After a ’Cats’ turnover, Wisconsin drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to just three points.
NU turned it over again on the ensuing possession, but the Badgers missed a game-tying 3-point attempt, all but sealing the game. Lau was fouled and knocked down two free throws before the final buzzer sounded, and the ’Cats claimed a 66-61 victory.
NU looks to extend its win streak to three and nab its first ranked win when it heads on the road to face No. 25 Illinois on Sunday.
“We have a lot of confidence going into Illinois,” Thomas said.
Email: [email protected]
X: @jemccl125
Related Stories:
— Women’s Basketball: Northwestern ends losing streak, defeats Rutgers 73-54
— Women’s Basketball: Sullivan held to 11 points as Northwestern falls 79-47 to Minnesota
