Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois
'Cats Fall to Illini in Closing Seconds, 60-58
2/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 27, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Northwestern led by as many as 14 points in the first half and held a five-point margin down the stretch, but dropped a heartbreaker Thursday night at Illinois. The Fighting Illini's Janelle Hughes sealed the deal with a five-foot jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining to lift Illinois to a 60-58 win. With the loss, NU dropped to 8-18 overall and 3-12 in the Big Ten.
The game seesawed throughout much of the second half before the game was knotted at 58 with nine seconds to play. NU failed on an attempted in-bounds pass, setting the stage for the Hughes' game-winning field goal.
Senior Natalie Will (Nappanee, Ind./Northwood) led the 'Cats with 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting, including 4-for-4 in the second half. No other NU players reached double figures.
The Illini's Angelina Williams netted 16 of her 22 points in the second half to lead the rally, which began with eight consecutive points to start the second frame.
NU led at the half (37-31) for the fourth straight game. The Wildcats jumped out to an early 15-6 lead courtesy of a 12-1 run. Sparked by a trio of three point field goals by junior Michelle Zylstra (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison), Northwestern led 35-21 with less than five minutes remaining. But the Illini rallied with a 10-2 run to close out the half, cutting the lead to six.
The Wildcats shot 54 percent in the half (13-for-24) and 47 percent for the game (22-for-47) NU held the Illini to 35 percent (22-for-62) shooting on the night.
Northwestern returns to the court Sunday, March 2 at Michigan State. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Wildcats won the first meeting, 52-46, earlier this season in Evanston, Ill.
