Northwestern University Athletics
Monday, November 17
Chicago, Ill.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
4-0,0-0Big Ten
79
at
72
DePaul
1-3,0-0Big East
1
2
3
4
F
Northwestern
29
17
21
12
79
DePaul
15
17
16
24
72
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Start Fast, Hold Off Late DePaul Rally, 79-72
11/17/2025 4:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Northwestern moves to 4-0 after first road win over Blue Demons since 2014
CHICAGO (November 17, 2025) – Northwestern jumped out to a double-digit halftime lead before withstanding a late DePaul surge as it picked up a 79-72 victory over the host Blue Demons this afternoon at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill.
With today's win, the Wildcats' first on the road over the Blue Demons (1-3) since the 2014-15 season, Northwestern improves to 4-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.
How It Happened
Following a Kate Novik score that gave the hosts an early 2-0 lead, Northwestern stepped on the accelerator, rattling off 10 unanswered points to take control, a run that included a Caroline Lau triple and an old-fashioned three-point play from Casey Harter. A driving layup by Tate Lash pushed the gap to 20-8 at the 4:06 mark. After seeing DePaul battle back within nine, 24-15, late in the frame, Xamiya Walton scored on the break before Lau hit again from distance to stake the 'Cats to a 29-15 lead.
A second-chance bucket from Sullivan just past the midway point of the second quarter gave Northwestern its largest lead of the first half, 40-23. The Blue Demons again looked to mount a push, trimming the margin to 40-30 with just over two minutes remaining, but Northwestern again responded, with a Tayla Thomas layup in the final minute sending the visitors into the locker room with a 46-32 advantage.
Thomas went back to work coming out of the intermission, converting off a pinpoint feed from Lau to stretch the gap to 52-35 and force a DePaul timeout with just over two minutes gone. Two Sullivan makes from the field bookended another Lau trey just past the midway point of the frame, as the lead ballooned to 63-44. Sullivan provided the exclamation point to the frame, scoring as time expired to push the margin to 67-48.
DePaul came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth quarter, taking off on a 10-0 run that cut Northwestern's lead to 67-58 with 7:00 remaining in regulation. With the 'Cats clinging to a 68-65 edge, Sullivan and Thomas answered with buckets on consecutive trips to reestablish a seven-point margin, 72-65, with 2:30 to play. DePaul would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as the Wildcats closed out a fourth straight win to begin the season.
Inside The Box Score
- Northwestern operated at a season-best 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field.
- Sullivan stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 26 points (13-20 FGs), nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and three steals.
- Sullivan, who finished two points off her career high, has scored in double figures in four straight games to begin the season.
- Lau put together one of the top all-around performances of her career, putting up 20 points (7-11 FGs, 3-5 3FGs, 3-6 FTs), six rebounds, nine assists, and a steal.
- Thomas posted her team-high third double-double of the year, tearing down a career-high 18 rebounds to go along with 11 points (4-6 FGs, 3-6 FTs), an assist, and a block.
- Led by Thomas, the Wildcats finished with a dominant 45-33 edge in rebounds.
- Novik paced DePaul with 18 points (7-18 FGs, 4-5 FTs).
Up Next
Northwestern is back on the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood to host Cleveland State in a 6:30 p.m. CT tip-off on Friday, November 21.
Gallery: (11-17-2025) Women's Basketball at DePaul
With today's win, the Wildcats' first on the road over the Blue Demons (1-3) since the 2014-15 season, Northwestern improves to 4-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.
How It Happened
Following a Kate Novik score that gave the hosts an early 2-0 lead, Northwestern stepped on the accelerator, rattling off 10 unanswered points to take control, a run that included a Caroline Lau triple and an old-fashioned three-point play from Casey Harter. A driving layup by Tate Lash pushed the gap to 20-8 at the 4:06 mark. After seeing DePaul battle back within nine, 24-15, late in the frame, Xamiya Walton scored on the break before Lau hit again from distance to stake the 'Cats to a 29-15 lead.
A second-chance bucket from Sullivan just past the midway point of the second quarter gave Northwestern its largest lead of the first half, 40-23. The Blue Demons again looked to mount a push, trimming the margin to 40-30 with just over two minutes remaining, but Northwestern again responded, with a Tayla Thomas layup in the final minute sending the visitors into the locker room with a 46-32 advantage.
Thomas went back to work coming out of the intermission, converting off a pinpoint feed from Lau to stretch the gap to 52-35 and force a DePaul timeout with just over two minutes gone. Two Sullivan makes from the field bookended another Lau trey just past the midway point of the frame, as the lead ballooned to 63-44. Sullivan provided the exclamation point to the frame, scoring as time expired to push the margin to 67-48.
DePaul came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth quarter, taking off on a 10-0 run that cut Northwestern's lead to 67-58 with 7:00 remaining in regulation. With the 'Cats clinging to a 68-65 edge, Sullivan and Thomas answered with buckets on consecutive trips to reestablish a seven-point margin, 72-65, with 2:30 to play. DePaul would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as the Wildcats closed out a fourth straight win to begin the season.
Inside The Box Score
- Northwestern operated at a season-best 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field.
- Sullivan stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 26 points (13-20 FGs), nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and three steals.
- Sullivan, who finished two points off her career high, has scored in double figures in four straight games to begin the season.
- Lau put together one of the top all-around performances of her career, putting up 20 points (7-11 FGs, 3-5 3FGs, 3-6 FTs), six rebounds, nine assists, and a steal.
- Thomas posted her team-high third double-double of the year, tearing down a career-high 18 rebounds to go along with 11 points (4-6 FGs, 3-6 FTs), an assist, and a block.
- Led by Thomas, the Wildcats finished with a dominant 45-33 edge in rebounds.
- Novik paced DePaul with 18 points (7-18 FGs, 4-5 FTs).
Up Next
Northwestern is back on the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood to host Cleveland State in a 6:30 p.m. CT tip-off on Friday, November 21.
Team Stats
NU
DePaul
FG%
.537
.389
3FG%
.400
.167
FT%
.680
.571
RB
45
33
TO
22
13
STL
6
15
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
13
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballWomen's Basketball - 'Cats Start Fast, Hold Off Late DePaul Rally, 79-72 (11/17/25)
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