Coffey Goes For 28 and 17, Wildcats Fall to Penn State

2/5/2017 4:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern senior Nia Coffey scored 28 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and fellow captain Ashley Deary added 12 points, six steals and five assists, but the Wildcats could not keep pace with Penn State at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sunday, losing 74-58.

Northwestern fell to 17-6 (6-4), while Penn State is now 15-8 (5-6).

Deary and Coffey were both recognized before the game. The presentations were for Deary breaking the all-time Big Ten steals record and Coffey for scoring her 2000th career point.

Roles were switched once the game started though, with Nia Coffey nabbing an early steal, before Ashley Deary started the scoring with a layup.

The Wildcat offense was humming through the first quarter, shooting 43 percent. Coffey got her day off to a quick start, putting up 10 points and six rebounds in the opening 10 minutes. But baskets were falling on both ends of the court, and the Nittany Lions finished the quarter with a 17-15 lead.

Penn State scored the first five points before shooting for both sides cooled off. Northwestern held Penn State to just 31 percent from the field in the quarter but was able to only convert 29 percent of their own attempts.

Coffey continued to dominate, pulling down four quick rebounds to record her 12th double-double of the year just 14 minutes into the game. She finished the half with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

The Wildcats used a 12-2 run midway through the quarter to claim a 28-24 lead. Deary added nine points and four steals, including one that led to a late layup, but the Wildcats went into the half trailing by one, 31-30.

The third quarter started much the same as the second, with Penn State pulling out ahead. But the Nittany Lions still had no answer for Coffey, who scored six of the Wildcats first 10 points in the quarter and tied her season high of 16 rebounds halfway through the period.

Her 28 points marked the tenth time this season that she has had at least 20. Yet Penn State caught fire, shooting 60 percent in the quarter as they built a 52-40 lead.

Northwestern's offense sparked back to life in the fourth, scoring 18 points. Deary got into double figures with a late three, but the Wildcats couldn't claw all the way back, falling 74-58.

Chicago's Big Ten Team heads to Bloomington to start a three game road trip when they face Indiana on Saturday, February 11 at 11 a.m. CT.

NOTES
• Nia Coffey grabbed a season high 17 rebounds (one shy of tying her career record of 18).
• With 28 points and 17 rebounds, Coffey secured her 12th double-double of the season and the 52nd of her career.
• Coffey scored in double figures for the 19th time this year and the 98th time in her career.
• Coffey scored 20 or more points for the 10th time this year. She has reached 20+ points in a game 42 times in her career.
• Coffey's 17 rebounds marked the 13th time this year she has had double-digit rebounds and the 50th time in her career.

• Ashley Deary made her 123rd consecutive start.
• Deary scored in double figures for the 16th time this year and the 54th time in her career.
• Deary had six steals on Sunday bringing her career total to 402.