Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois
Illini Edge Wildcats, 64-55
1/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2006
Box Score
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Northwestern fought Illinois down to the wire, but the Illini edged out a 64-55 victory at Assembly Hall Sunday afternoon. Freshman Kristin Cartwright (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) scored a career-high 13 points, while Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) led all NU scorers with 16 points.
"I am very proud of our team today," said head coach Beth Combs. "It was a great game on both sides. If we continue to play that way, hopefully we can turn that corner. Tonight, though, it just wasn't meant to be."
The Wildcats (4-10, 0-4) came off the tip aggressively, forcing three Illinois (10-4, 2-1) miscues in the first five minutes. The back-and-forth tempo provided an exciting start aided by a combined 25 turnovers and 14 steals in the first half. The first free throws of the game, by Sara Stutz (Glenbrook, Ill./Glenbard South), came with 1:34 minute left in the half.
Northwestern hung tough on the boards pulling down 17 rebounds in the first half, the same number as the Illini. Cartwright scored seven of her 13 points in the opening stanza, leading all NU scorers at the break.
NU went on a 7-4 run to close out the half down, 26-23.
The Wildcats went on a 12-4 run to open the second half, taking the lead, 29-26, after a three-point play by Cartwright.
Northwestern kept up the defensive pressure, holding the Illini scoreless until the 16:30 mark. Illinois' Danyel Crutcher's basket with 10:31 remaining gave Illinois a 38-37 lead, an advantage the orange and blue would not surrender the rest of the way.
Northwestern cut the score to a one-possession lead several times over the next five minutes, thanks to back-to-back buckets by Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School). Okonkwo scored 10 of her 16 points in the last 6:30 to keep the Wildcats nipping on Illini's heels.
Illinois hit 9-of-10 free throws in the last minute of play to secure the lead.
Miller finished with a team-high 12 rebounds and seven points. Okonkwo recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds, her fourth double-double of the season.
Cartwright's 16 points came on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
The Wildcats fought for 10 second-chance points to U of I's 6. Both teams scored four points off breakaways.
Northwestern hosts Indiana at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
