NU Begins 2016 Big Ten Tournament Wednesday Against Wisconsin

3/1/2016 3:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball

NORTHWESTERN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: GAME INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	WATCH	LIVE STATS
Wed., March 2	Wisconsin	12:30 p.m. CST	Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind.)	Big Ten Network	GameTracker
Social: Twitter (@NUWBBall and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (@NUWBBall) \| Facebook

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern will tip off post season play at the 2016 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, March 2, against Wisconsin. The contest will mark the second matchup between the two squads this season.

SEASON IN REVIEW
The Wildcats' women's basketball team wrapped up regular season play Sunday, finishing 15-15 (4-14 B1G). Northwestern began the season with an 10-game win streak and finished non-conference play with a 11-1 record, including a three-game tournament victory at the Lone Star Showcase in Cedar Park, Texas. The Wildcats were ranked for the first 11 weeks of the season, reaching as high as No. 12 in the AP Top 25.

The #B1GCats are in Indy and ready to go. https://t.co/IUkx9n7rg5
— NU Women's Hoops (@nuwbball) March 2, 2016

The team's signature win came on Jan. 14 against Ohio State, ranked No. 5 at the time. Northwestern jumped out to a 23-point lead and was able to fend off the Buckeyes' late rally. The team was led by senior Maggie Lyon, who tallied 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Freshman Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah also lifted the 'Cats with 14 points and 14 rebounds in just her second start of the season.

The Wildcats had three players named to All-Big Ten teams. Junior Nia Coffey was named to her third consecutive All-B1G First Team. She led the Big Ten in rebounds, averaging 10 per game, and her 19.7 points per game ranked her fifth in the conference. Coffey is five rebounds shy of breaking NU's single-season rebound record.

Maggie Lyon was named All-B1G Honorable Mention for the fourth time in her career. She averaged 16.5 points and 5.7 rebounds through the regular season. Lyon became the Wildcats' career leader in 3-point field goals when she hit her 245th against Minnesota on Jan. 20. She finished the regular season with 268 total.

Junior Ashley Deary was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year – the first in program history – and made her second-consecutive appearance on the All-B1G Defensive Team. She was also named All-B1G Honorable Mention for the third year in a row. Deary led the country in steals (128) and steals per game (4.27). She finished the season as Northwestern's all-time leader in steals, recording 298 in her career to date, and broke the Big Ten single-season steals record with 125.

TOURNAMENT TIME
The Wildcats will look to build on the momentum they built in last year's tournament, when they reached the semifinals for the first time in program history

The 'Cats are 6-21 in Big Ten Tournament play.

Northwestern and Wisconsin have met twice before in the Big Ten Tournament, both ending in victories for the Badgers. The most recent meeting was in 2009, McKeown's first year as coach of the Wildcats. Wisconsin claimed the victory, 60-51, and eventually fell in the tournament semifinals.