Pulliam Paces Wildcats Against Minnesota With 22 Points

12/28/2017 9:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Minn 90, NU 63 (Box Score)

EVANSTON, Ill. -- First-year guard Lindsey Pulliam scored a team-high 22 points in her first career Big Ten game, and junior forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah racked up her seventh double-double of the season, as Northwestern dropped a tough contest to Minnesota at historic Beardsley Gym Thursday night.

Pulliam reached double figures for the 12th time this season, and crossed the 20-point mark for the third time this season, as she continues to pace all Big Ten newcomers in scoring. She made all six of her free throw attempts to improve her season average to 85.5 percent.

Pulliam scored 14 first half-points, her highest 20-minute output since dropping 19 in the first two frames at Syracuse on Nov. 30.

Kunaiyi-Akpanah scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and grabbed 10 boards for her second consecutive double-double.

Three Wildcats scored in double figures overall, as sophomore forward Abi Scheid added 13 of her own. She has scored 10-plus points in every game except two this year.

First-year guard Jordan Hamilton dished out six assists in her first game back since DePaul on Dec. 13.

Minnesota (12-2, 1-0) won the conference opener, 90-63.

Northwestern shot 39.1 percent from the field, but the Gophers were a little bit better, knocking down 47.8 percent of their shots, including 10 three-pointers.

Northwestern led 19-16 after a frenetic first quarter that saw Kunaiyi-Akpanah score six points and grab six rebounds. A flurry of threes from the visitors in the second quarter (7-of-10 in the frame) gave Minnesota a 47-37 lead at the half.

Chicago's Big Ten Team next travels downstate to take on Illinois New Year's Eve at 2 p.m.

Individual Notes

Lindsey Pulliam scored 14 points in the first half, her most in a half since she scored 19 in the first half at Syracuse on Nov. 30.
Lindsey Pulliam notched her third 20-point game of the season with 22.
Lindsey Pulliam was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. It's the ninth time this season she has been perfect from the charity stripe.
Bryana Hopkins tallied six rebounds, her most ever in a Big Ten game and highest since she grabbed a career-high 10 against Auburn on Nov. 25.
Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah notched her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Abi Scheid scored in double figures for the 13th time this season with 13 points.