EVANSTON, Ill. (November 16, 2025) – Following a clean sweep of its season-opening homestand, Northwestern (3-0) hits the road for the first time in 2025-26 on Monday morning, making the short trip south to Wintrust Arena for an 11 a.m. CT meeting with local rival DePaul.
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LAST TIME OUT
Paced by career nights from Casey Harter and Tayla Thomas, Northwestern cruised to a 69-54 win over visiting Maryland Eastern Shore this past Friday inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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Harter closed her night with a career-high 19 points, a total bolstered by a career-best five makes from beyond the three-point arc. The junior guard was also active on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds. Thomas continued the red-hot start to her sophomore campaign, putting up a career-high 16 points. Thomas also collected 11 rebounds to secure her second double-double of the young season.
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Grace Sullivan rounded out a trio of Wildcats to reach double figures in scoring in the win, matching Thomas on the offensive end. Sullivan is averaging a team-best 19.7 points per game through the first three games of the 2025-26 season. Angelina Hodgens provided Northwestern with a spark off the bench, adding five points, three assists, and a steal.
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SCOUTING DePAUL
DePaul enters Monday's matchup at 1-2 following a 78-64 setback on the road at Bradley last Wednesday in Peoria, Ill.Â
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Picked eighth in the BIG EAST Conference Preseason Poll, DePaul is led by first-year head coach Jill Pizzotti. Pizzotti, who served as the program's interim head coach in 2024-25, succeeded long-time head coach Doug Bruno, who stepped down after a highly decorated 39-year head coaching career with the program.
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The trio of Kate Novik, Ally Timm, and Natiah Nelson has paced DePaul in the season's early days. A transfer out of Morehead State, Novik (17.0 ppg) has scored in double figures in each of the Blue Demons' first three games, a run highlighted by a 20-point showing against UNLV (Nov. 9). Timm (16.7 ppg) erupted for a career-high 28 points in DePaul's season-opening 92-54 rout of Valparaiso (Nov. 4) en route to being named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on November 10. Nelson (15.0 ppg) posted a double-double (13 points, 15 rebounds) against Valparaiso ahead of a 17-point effort at UNLV.
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SERIES STUFF
Monday's matinee will serve as the 41st installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and DePaul on the hardwood, a series which the Blue Demons lead, 24-16 (.600).
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The 'Cats snapped an eight-game skid against their neighbor to the south last season, dealing DePaul a 64-56 defeat on December 4, 2024 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Caileigh Walsh surpassed 1,000 career points in the win, leading Northwestern with 14 points, while Sullivan added 13 points.
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Northwestern will be in search of its first road win over DePaul since a 97-91 win in double overtime at McGrath-Phillips Arena on November 29, 2014.
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UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday, November 21 to play host to Cleveland State in a 6:30 p.m. CT clash.
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LAST TIME OUT
Paced by career nights from Casey Harter and Tayla Thomas, Northwestern cruised to a 69-54 win over visiting Maryland Eastern Shore this past Friday inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Â
Harter closed her night with a career-high 19 points, a total bolstered by a career-best five makes from beyond the three-point arc. The junior guard was also active on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds. Thomas continued the red-hot start to her sophomore campaign, putting up a career-high 16 points. Thomas also collected 11 rebounds to secure her second double-double of the young season.
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Grace Sullivan rounded out a trio of Wildcats to reach double figures in scoring in the win, matching Thomas on the offensive end. Sullivan is averaging a team-best 19.7 points per game through the first three games of the 2025-26 season. Angelina Hodgens provided Northwestern with a spark off the bench, adding five points, three assists, and a steal.
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SCOUTING DePAUL
DePaul enters Monday's matchup at 1-2 following a 78-64 setback on the road at Bradley last Wednesday in Peoria, Ill.Â
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Picked eighth in the BIG EAST Conference Preseason Poll, DePaul is led by first-year head coach Jill Pizzotti. Pizzotti, who served as the program's interim head coach in 2024-25, succeeded long-time head coach Doug Bruno, who stepped down after a highly decorated 39-year head coaching career with the program.
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The trio of Kate Novik, Ally Timm, and Natiah Nelson has paced DePaul in the season's early days. A transfer out of Morehead State, Novik (17.0 ppg) has scored in double figures in each of the Blue Demons' first three games, a run highlighted by a 20-point showing against UNLV (Nov. 9). Timm (16.7 ppg) erupted for a career-high 28 points in DePaul's season-opening 92-54 rout of Valparaiso (Nov. 4) en route to being named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on November 10. Nelson (15.0 ppg) posted a double-double (13 points, 15 rebounds) against Valparaiso ahead of a 17-point effort at UNLV.
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SERIES STUFF
Monday's matinee will serve as the 41st installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and DePaul on the hardwood, a series which the Blue Demons lead, 24-16 (.600).
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The 'Cats snapped an eight-game skid against their neighbor to the south last season, dealing DePaul a 64-56 defeat on December 4, 2024 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Caileigh Walsh surpassed 1,000 career points in the win, leading Northwestern with 14 points, while Sullivan added 13 points.
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Northwestern will be in search of its first road win over DePaul since a 97-91 win in double overtime at McGrath-Phillips Arena on November 29, 2014.
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UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday, November 21 to play host to Cleveland State in a 6:30 p.m. CT clash.