Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Announce 2020-21 Women's Basketball Schedule
11/23/2020 3:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern Women's Basketball unveiled its 2020-21 season schedule on Monday. The defending Big Ten Champions' schedule consists of 20 conference games and three non-conference matchups.
The Wildcats will tip off their season on Sunday, December 6 when they welcome Bradley to Evanston. All-in-all, Northwestern is slated for 13 home games at Welsh-Ryan Arena. In accordance with local, state and Big Ten Conference medical regulations, all games played at Welsh-Ryan Arena currently will be played without spectators.
Northwestern will begin this season ranked No. 17 in the AP preseason poll. Last season, the Wildcats captured their first Big Ten Championship since 1990 and finished the season ranked 11th in the nation, the highest ranking in program history. The 'Cats boasted a 26-4 overall record and a 16-2 conference record–both of which were program records–as head Coach Joe McKeown was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Northwestern only lost two players from last season's starting five and boasts 10 returners in total, headlined by 2019-20 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, junior Veronica Burton and senior Lindsey Pulliam who received All-Big Ten first team honors last year. Both have already earned preseason recognition in anticipation for this season, with Burton receiving a preseason All-Big Ten selection and Pulliam being named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. Pulliam was also named to the watch lists for the Wade and Naismith trophies. Also returning from the 'Cats starting lineup last season is junior Sydney Wood, who earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection last season for the first time in her career.
The Wildcats will open Big Ten play at home on Monday, December 14 as they play host to Minnesota. Later that week, they hit the road for their first away test of the season at Purdue on Thursday, December 17.
After wrapping up non-conference play with a home matchup vs. Eastern Kentucky on December 22, the Wildcats close out the 2020 calendar year on Thursday, December 31 with a trip to Nebraska. That matchup in Lincoln will begin a stretch of 18 Big Ten games in a span of just over two months.
The 'Cats home finale is slated for Sunday, February 28 as they welcome fellow 2020 Big Ten co-champion Maryland to Welsh-Ryan Arena. NU then travels to Ann Arbor the following weekend to wrap up the season at Michigan in a game that will take place on either Friday, March 5 or Saturday, March 6.
TV network designations and start times for all games will be announced at a later time.
See the complete schedule below:
Sunday, December 6 – vs. Bradley (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, December 10 – vs. Eastern Illinois (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Monday, December 14 – vs. Minnesota (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, December 17 – at Purdue (West Lafayette, IN)
Tuesday, December 22 – vs. Eastern Kentucky (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, December 31 – at Nebraska (Lincoln, NE)
Sunday, January 3 – vs. Michigan (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Wednesday, January 6 – at Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
Saturday, January 9 – vs. Iowa (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, January 14 – at Rutgers (Piscataway, NJ)
Sunday, January 17 – at Penn State (University Park, PA)
Thursday, January 21 – vs. Illinois (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Sunday, January 24 – vs. Indiana (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, January 28 – at Iowa (Iowa City, IA)
Monday, February 1 – vs. Ohio State (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Sunday, February 7 – at Michigan State (East Lansing, MI)
Thursday, February 11 – vs. Rutgers (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Sunday, February 14 – at Ohio State (Columbus, OH)
Wednesday, February 17 – vs. Nebraska (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Saturday, February 20 – vs. Wisconsin (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Thursday, February 25 – at Illinois (Champaign, IL)
Sunday, February 28 – vs. Maryland (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Fri., March 5 or Sat., March 6 – at Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
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