Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
7-6,0-2Big Ten
Washington
10-4,1-1Big Ten
Four Wildcats Score in Double Figures in Setback vs. Washington
12/28/2024 5:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Caroline Lau led the way with a season-best 15 points in Northwestern's return to Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Evanston, IL (December 27, 2024) – Despite a promising start, Northwestern fell to Washington, 90-71, on Saturday afternoon at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Four players finished the game in double figures, paced by Caroline Lau who poured in a season-high 15 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting clip, including going 4-of-6 from deep. Lau also finished with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Taylor Williams tallied 13 points and led the Wildcats with seven rebounds. Off the bench, Melannie Daley delivered 12 points and a team-high five assists, while Grace Sullivan added 10 points and five boards to go along with a career-high three blocks.
Despite a balanced offensive effort, Washington built its lead with efficient shooting, finishing the game at 51.4% (36-of-70) from the field, fueled by the duo of Elle Ladine and Dalayah Daniels. Ladine finished a game-high 40 points, hitting 15-of-25 from the floor, while Daniels added 20 points and 15 rebounds.
How It Happened
Northwestern showed resilience throughout the game, battling back multiple times. After falling behind 20-17 late in the first quarter, the Wildcats put together a quick 5-0 run, capped by a basket from Sullivan with 1:22 remaining. Despite the surge, Northwestern entered the second quarter trailing 25-22.The Wildcats continued to fight in the second, narrowing a 30-22 deficit with another 5-0 run fueled by a timely three-pointer from Lau to make it 30-27. While Washington mounted a run of its own, Northwestern stayed within striking distance, heading into halftime down 46-38.
In the third quarter, Northwestern continued its strong interior play, scoring 10 of its 17 points in the paint. However, Washington extended its lead, and the Wildcats entered the fourth quarter facing a 69-55 deficit.
Northwestern made another push early in the final frame, going on a 7-0 run that featured a layup from Caileigh Walsh to cut the gap to 73-62 with 6:05 remaining. The Wildcats found their rhythm from beyond the arc, hitting three three-pointers in the quarter to account for nine of their 16 points. Despite their efforts, Washington closed the game strong, resulting in a 90-71 final score
Inside The Box Score
- The Wildcats opened the game shooting 66.7% (8-of-12) from the field in a high scoring first quarter.
- Caroline Lau led the Wildcats with 15 points, shooting 4-of-6 from three-point range while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists.
- Taylor Williams was a key contributor inside, finishing with 13 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and three assists. Williams also went 7-of-14 from the free-throw line.
- Grace Sullivan provided a spark off the bench, scoring 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting while pulling down five rebounds.
- Northwestern recorded an assist on 70 percent of made field goals (19 assists, 27 field goals)
- The Wildcats stayed competitive on the glass, finishing with 33 rebounds, just one shy of Washington's 34. NU also pulled down 14 offensive rebounds to Washington's 11, which translated into a 17-16 edge in second-chance points
- The Northwestern bench made an impact, finishing with 25 bench points.
Up Next
Northwestern continues conference action at home on Tuesday, December 31, when they host the Oregon Ducks. Tipoff is set for 2 PM CT, with the game airing live on Big Ten Network.
