Tuesday, January 28
Iowa City, Iowa
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
7-12,0-8Big Ten
80
at
85
Iowa
14-7,4-6Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Northwestern
23
15
18
24
80
Iowa
20
21
21
23
85
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Battle Until The End, Fall At Iowa, 85-80
1/28/2025 10:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Daley, Walsh lead Northwestern with 15 points apiece
IOWA CITY, Iowa (January 28, 2025) – Melannie Daley and Caileigh Walsh scored 15 points apiece, leading a balanced attack that saw five Wildcats score in double figures, as Northwestern (7-12, 0-8 B1G) dropped a hard-fought 85-80 decision to Iowa (14-7, 4-6 B1G) this evening inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
How It Happened
Northwestern came out on fire from distance, hitting on each of its first three attempts from beyond the arc. Walsh and Casey Harter connected on corner treys on consecutive trips to get the 'Cats out to a 9-3 lead before a Caroline Lau triple stretched the gap to 14-5 near the midway point of the opening frame. Daley drilled a mid-range jumper to push the lead into double digits, 16-6, shortly after. Following a 7-0 run by Iowa that trimmed the margin to 20-17, Harter nailed her second three of the night to reestablish a six-point lead, 23-17. Aaliyah Guyton answered with a three of her own in the closing seconds to cut Northwestern's advantage to 23-20.
Kyla Jones found a cutting Taylor Williams with less than a minute gone in the second quarter, as Northwestern extended its lead back out to seven, 27-20. Iowa answered with a 12-1 surge to charge in front, 32-28, but a straightway three from Walsh and a Jones floater quickly put the 'Cats back on top, 33-32. After a split at the line by Williams knotted the game up at 38-38, Hannah Stuelke finished through contact on the way to a conventional three-point play as Iowa held a narrow 41-38 lead at halftime.
Buckets on back-to-back trips from Daley clawed the Wildcats back within one, 43-42, early in the third quarter. Northwestern again mounted a response following a Lucy Olsen layup that pushed Iowa's lead to 56-48, with an old-fashioned three-point play from Daley sparking a 6-0 spurt as the 'Cats closed the gap to two, 56-54. In similar fashion to the opening frame, Guyton capped off the quarter with a three, giving the Hawkeyes a 62-56 edge.
Lau provided an instant response to a Sydney Affolter three, hitting from outside to cut Northwestern's deficit back to six, 64-58, with 48 seconds gone in the fourth quarter. Iowa looked to be on its way to pulling away late, opening up a 77-65 lead following a pair of Olsen free throws at the 3:16 mark, but the visitors refused to go away. Another Lau three followed by a post score from Walsh pulled the Wildcats within seven, 77-70, with 2:31 remaining. After Lau's fourth three of the night made it 81-75, Northwestern's press forced an Iowa turnover that led to a layup from Williams as the 'Cats closed the deficit to four, 81-77, with 34 seconds to play. Walsh hit on Northwestern's ninth triple of the night with only 11 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession game, 83-80, but two Stuelke makes at the charity stripe on Iowa's final possession sealed the Hawkeyes' 14th win of the season.
Gallery: (1-28-2025) Women's Basketball at Iowa
Inside The Box Score
- Daley scored in double figures for the eighth time in 10 games, finishing with 15 points (7-12 FGs).
- Walsh matched Daley on the offensive end, putting up 15 points (6-11 FGs, 3-5 3FGs), in addition to ripping down seven rebounds.
- Lau tied a career-high, hitting on four three-point attempts as part of a 13-point (4-7 FGs, 4-6 3FGs, 1-2 FTs), seven-assist outing.
- Led by Walsh and Lau's showings from distance, Northwestern drained a season-high nine three-point field goals.
- Grace Sullivan cracked the 10-point mark for a third straight game, adding 12 points (4-12 FGs, 4-4 FTs) and a career-best five assists.
- Harter rounded out Northwestern's quintet in double figures with 11 points (3-5 FGs, 2-3 3FGs, 3-3 FTs).
- Williams flirted with a double-double, finishing her night with nine points (3-10 FGs, 3-6 FTs) and a team-high eight rebounds.
- Making her return to the Iowa lineup, Stuelke led all scorers with 26 points (10-17 FGs, 6-6 FTs)
Up Next
Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sunday, February 2 to host No. 16 Michigan State in a 2 p.m. CT tip-off.
How It Happened
Northwestern came out on fire from distance, hitting on each of its first three attempts from beyond the arc. Walsh and Casey Harter connected on corner treys on consecutive trips to get the 'Cats out to a 9-3 lead before a Caroline Lau triple stretched the gap to 14-5 near the midway point of the opening frame. Daley drilled a mid-range jumper to push the lead into double digits, 16-6, shortly after. Following a 7-0 run by Iowa that trimmed the margin to 20-17, Harter nailed her second three of the night to reestablish a six-point lead, 23-17. Aaliyah Guyton answered with a three of her own in the closing seconds to cut Northwestern's advantage to 23-20.
Kyla Jones found a cutting Taylor Williams with less than a minute gone in the second quarter, as Northwestern extended its lead back out to seven, 27-20. Iowa answered with a 12-1 surge to charge in front, 32-28, but a straightway three from Walsh and a Jones floater quickly put the 'Cats back on top, 33-32. After a split at the line by Williams knotted the game up at 38-38, Hannah Stuelke finished through contact on the way to a conventional three-point play as Iowa held a narrow 41-38 lead at halftime.
Buckets on back-to-back trips from Daley clawed the Wildcats back within one, 43-42, early in the third quarter. Northwestern again mounted a response following a Lucy Olsen layup that pushed Iowa's lead to 56-48, with an old-fashioned three-point play from Daley sparking a 6-0 spurt as the 'Cats closed the gap to two, 56-54. In similar fashion to the opening frame, Guyton capped off the quarter with a three, giving the Hawkeyes a 62-56 edge.
Lau provided an instant response to a Sydney Affolter three, hitting from outside to cut Northwestern's deficit back to six, 64-58, with 48 seconds gone in the fourth quarter. Iowa looked to be on its way to pulling away late, opening up a 77-65 lead following a pair of Olsen free throws at the 3:16 mark, but the visitors refused to go away. Another Lau three followed by a post score from Walsh pulled the Wildcats within seven, 77-70, with 2:31 remaining. After Lau's fourth three of the night made it 81-75, Northwestern's press forced an Iowa turnover that led to a layup from Williams as the 'Cats closed the deficit to four, 81-77, with 34 seconds to play. Walsh hit on Northwestern's ninth triple of the night with only 11 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession game, 83-80, but two Stuelke makes at the charity stripe on Iowa's final possession sealed the Hawkeyes' 14th win of the season.
Inside The Box Score
- Daley scored in double figures for the eighth time in 10 games, finishing with 15 points (7-12 FGs).
- Walsh matched Daley on the offensive end, putting up 15 points (6-11 FGs, 3-5 3FGs), in addition to ripping down seven rebounds.
- Lau tied a career-high, hitting on four three-point attempts as part of a 13-point (4-7 FGs, 4-6 3FGs, 1-2 FTs), seven-assist outing.
- Led by Walsh and Lau's showings from distance, Northwestern drained a season-high nine three-point field goals.
- Grace Sullivan cracked the 10-point mark for a third straight game, adding 12 points (4-12 FGs, 4-4 FTs) and a career-best five assists.
- Harter rounded out Northwestern's quintet in double figures with 11 points (3-5 FGs, 2-3 3FGs, 3-3 FTs).
- Williams flirted with a double-double, finishing her night with nine points (3-10 FGs, 3-6 FTs) and a team-high eight rebounds.
- Making her return to the Iowa lineup, Stuelke led all scorers with 26 points (10-17 FGs, 6-6 FTs)
Up Next
Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sunday, February 2 to host No. 16 Michigan State in a 2 p.m. CT tip-off.
Team Stats
NU
Iowa
FG%
.483
.483
3FG%
.600
.409
FT%
.650
.900
RB
33
33
TO
13
14
STL
8
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
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