CHICAGO – Three Wildcats scored in double figures, led by first year Lindsey Pulliam's game-high 18, to give Northwestern a 63-36 win in the 2017-18 season opener at Chicago State Friday night in the Jones Convocation Center.
 
Pulliam shot 6-of-11 from the field and made all six of her free throws in her first career game and added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
 
Northwestern has won nine straight season openers under head coach Joe McKeown.
 
Junior Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah (12) and sophomore Abi Scheid (11) also reached double-digits, as the Wildcats methodically put Chicago State away.
 
Chicago's Big Ten Team outscored the Cougars in every quarter, including an 18-7 margin in the final 10 minutes to move to 1-0 on the young season.
 
Eight Wildcats scored in all, with sophomore guard Byrdy Galernik chipping in a career-high eight points, three rebounds, and three assists. First year Jordan Hamilton dished out seven assists in her first career game.
 
Northwestern shot 55 percent from the field (28-51), while limiting Chicago State to just 24 percent (15-63). It was the Wildcats' best shooting performance since hitting 63 percent of their shots in a 102-48 win over Chicago State on Nov. 14, 2014. The Wildcats were 8-of-10 from the field in the fourth quarter.
 
Kunaiyi-Akpanah made all six of her shots to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds. Six Wildcats shot better than 50 percent from the field.
 
Northwestern outscored Chicago State, 46-20, in the paint and turned 13 Cougar turnovers into 16 points. NU out-rebounded CSU, 47-29.
 
The Wildcats led from start to finish.
 
Chicago's Big Ten Team opens the home portion of its schedule Thursday at historic Beardsley Gym in Evanston Township High School against Oakland at 7 p.m.
 
NOTES

• Northwestern has won nine straight season openers under head coach Joe McKeown.
• The Wildcats improved to 8-2 all-time against Chicago State.
• Chicago's Big Ten Team moved to 19-12 in true non-conference road games under McKeown … NU has won 10 of its last 13 non-conference road games.
• Junior Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah grabbed 10 rebounds, her 10th career game with double-digit boards.
• First year Lindsey Pulliam scored 18 points in her first career game ... That is the most for a Wildcat in her debut since Nia Coffey tallied 19 points, Nov. 10, 2013 vs. UIC.

 
Career Highs

• Bryana Hopkins: Minutes (11), Rebounds (4)
• Byrdy Galernik: Points (8), Field Goals Made (4), Field Goal Attempts (6), Minutes (25)
• Abi Scheid: Assists (4)

 

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