Northwestern
Indiana
Wildcat Fall In Conference Debut to Indiana, 71-69
12/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2010
Site: Bloomington, Indiana (Assembly Hall)
Score: Indiana 71, Northwestern 69
Records: NU (11-3, 0-1 Big Ten), Indiana (7-6, 1-0 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Jan. 2--vs. Purdue (Welsh-Ryan Arena), 2 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Three Wildcats scored in double-figures but it was not enough as Northwestern fell to Indiana in the Big Ten opener, 71-69, Thursday evening at Assembly Hall. Senior Amy Jaeschke led the 'Cats with 15 points while Brittany Orban and Kendall Hackney each added 13.
Northwestern was true from the field in the early going, not missing a shot in the first six minutes, but were plagued by seven turnovers during that same time, resulting in a slim 9-3 advantage. Indiana, led by six points each from Jori Davis and Aulani Sinclair, outscored the Wildcats, 12-6, over the next six minutes to deadlock the score at 15 with 8:37 left in the frame.
The stanza saw four ties from that point forward, but Northwestern only relinquished the lead once and held a 34-30 lead at the break. Jaeschke led NU with nine points at the break while Orban added seven.
The Wildcats came out of halftime with renewed energy, outscoring Indiana 6-3 in the first 2:30 and forcing the home team to take a timeout as the momentum was clearly swinging the visitor's way. But the Hoosiers scored a quick four points to pull to within 40-38 at the 16:11 mark.
Hackney responded with five points which fueled a 10-2 Wildcat run over the next five minutes, giving Northwestern its largest lead of the game--a 50-40 advantage with 11:40 remaining.
Indiana mounted an offensive onslaught of its own over the ensuing five minutes, scoring 14 of the game's next 20 points to take just its second lead of the game, a 58-56, lead. Orban finally stopped the bleeding with a trey from the corner with 3:44 remaining to once again put NU on top by a point. A pair of free-throws from Beth Marshall and an IU turnover that yielded two points from Jaeschke set the score at 63-58 at the 2:40 mark.
The Hoosiers strung together an 8-2 run over the next 1:40 to find themselves up 66-65 with a minute remaining. A Wildcat turnover led to a lay-in on the other end and set the difference at three, 68-65. Orban drew a foul on NU's next possession and calmly sank the free throws to once again make it a one-point affair with 33.4 ticks left.
Indiana's Sinclair made one free throw on the ensuing possession to put IU up by a bucket. Reed ended the scoring the same way she started it--with a jumper from the corner to deadlock the game at 69 with 14 seconds left. But a layup by Whitney Lindsay with three seconds left proved to be the deciding bucket as the Hoosiers notched just their seventh victory of the season.
Northwestern returns to the court for its Big Ten home opener against Purdue at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2.
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