Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Women's Basketball Edged by No. 5 Wisconsin, 70-65
1/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern had No. 5 Wisconsin on the ropes late in the second half, but fell 70-65 in women's basketball action Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Freshman guard Melissa Culver (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) led the 'Cats (4-13, 0-6 Big Ten) with her first career double-double. She set career highs with 18 points and 10 assists. Culver also knocked down three three-pointers in 39 minutes of action.
The exciting contest featured 13 lead changes, including nine in the first half. Wisconsin (15-1, 6-0 Big Ten) scored the final eight points of the first stanza to take a 31-24 lead into the locker room. But NU reeled off 10 straight points early in the second half to retake the lead.
The 'Cats extended the lead to six, 51-45, with just under seven minutes left, but the Badgers responded with an 8-0 run.
Down 63-60 with 27 seconds left, Northwestern looked like it might make the big play when Nicole Daniels (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) stripped the ball from Wisconsin's Tamara Moore at midcourt. During the ensuing scrum, a Wildcat player gained possession and immediately called timeout. Unfortunately, NU was out of timeouts, resulting in a technical foul. Moore made both technical free throws to effectively seal the win.
Freshman Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) and junior Leslie Dolland (Bloomington, Minn./The Blake School) helped NU inside. Kwasinski tallied 17 points and a team-high six rebounds before fouling out late. Dolland earned her first start of the season and managed 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Junior Natalie Will (Nappanee, Ind./Northwood) gave the 'Cats a season-best four players in double figures. Will scored 11 points and added four assists in 35 minutes.
Northwestern is off until Sunday, January 20, when the 'Cats host Illinois at Welsh-Ryan at 2 p.m.
