Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, November 28
Fort Myers, Fla.
10 a.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Abilene Christian
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Jets South For Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off
11/27/2025 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
‘Cats put perfect start on the line against Abilene Christian, Missouri
EVANSTON, Ill. (November 27, 2025) – Sitting at 5-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season, Northwestern travels to Fort Myers, Fla. at the end of the week for a pair of games as part of the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off.
The Wildcats will open play inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Friday morning, raising the curtain on the 2025 edition of the event with a 10 a.m. CT clash against Abilene Christian. Northwestern will be back in action just over 24 hours later for a 12:30 p.m. CT meeting with Missouri on Saturday afternoon. Both games will be televised live on ION.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern rallied back from a 15-point second-quarter deficit as it held off visiting Cleveland State, 75-68, last Friday inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Grace Sullivan posted her second double-double of the season to lead the 'Cats in the win, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Sullivan was named to the Big Ten Honor Roll on Monday after averaging 23.0 points and 10.0 rebounds across two Northwestern wins last week.
Northwestern tied a season high with eight made threes in the win, six of which came as part of a breakout performance from Claire Keswick. Keswick, who tallied her first collegiate points, poured in 18 points of 6-of-14 shooting from deep. The sophomore's six made threes tied for the third most in a single game in school history and are the most by a Wildcat since Caileigh Walsh hit six treys against Rutgers on March 1, 2023.
Tayla Thomas rounded out a trio in double figures for Northwestern with 11 points and six rebounds. Thomas also continued her strong work on the defensive end of the floor, recording three blocks. She currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in the category, averaging 1.8 rejections per outing. Caroline Lau again orchestrated the Wildcat attack, dishing out a game-high 12 assists, her eighth career outing with 10-plus helpers.
SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
Abilene Christian makes its way to the Sunshine State at 4-1 through its first five games of 2025-26. The Wildcats bounced back from their first loss of the year, a 77-76 setback to Stephen F. Austin, with a 60-51 road win over North Texas in their most recent action on November 19. Tabbed the preseason favorite in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, veteran head coach Julie Goodenough's team finished 22-13 (9-7 WAC) last season, a campaign that culminated with a run to the Super 16 of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
WAC Preseason Player of the Year Payton Hull leads the charge for Abilene Christian. Fresh off a sophomore campaign that saw her finish atop the league in scoring (18.9 ppg), Hull has picked up right where she left off, averaging 15.6 points across the Wildcats' first five games.
Erin Woodson has gotten her 2025-26 campaign off to a red-hot start, putting up 15.0 points per game, a mark that trails only Hull on Abilene Christian's scoring chart. Meredith Mayes, a fellow Preseason All-WAC honoree alongside Hull, adds 13.6 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, collecting 7.0 caroms per contest.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
Fresh off a 71-54 win over Washington State as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Missouri makes its way to Fort Myers at 5-2 overall. Under the direction of head coach Kellie Harper, who is in her first year leading the program following stints at Missouri State and Tennessee, the Tigers were voted to finish 13th in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Preseason Poll.
The pairing of Shannon Dowell and Grace Slaughter has been at the forefront of the Missouri attack through the season's opening seven games. Dowell, who spent the first two years of her career at Illinois State, averages a team-best 19.1 points, a mark bolstered by a 30-point outburst in the Tigers' 81-50 win over Southern Illinois on November 18. Slaughter has been equally as impressive for Harper's team, cracking the 20-point mark on three occasions en route to averaging 17.7 points per contest. The junior guard pumped in a season-high 27 points as part of a 77-69 win at Tulane on November 6.
Jordana Reisma closes out a trio of players to average in double figures for Missouri, adding 11.7 points per game. Reisma also rips down 8.0 rebounds per game, sharing the team lead in the category with Dowell.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's tilt inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena will serve as the first meeting between Northwestern and Abilene Christian on the hardwood. In their only previous tilt with a current WAC member, the 'Cats downed UT Arlington, 74-47, on December 16, 2019.
Northwestern and Missouri will battle for the sixth time on Saturday. The Tigers lead the all-time series by a slim 3-2 (.600) margin, but the 'Cats have won back-to-back meetings against the Tigers, most recently picking up 74-70 win at the Mizzou Arena on December 3, 2011.
UP NEXT
After returning from Florida, Northwestern begins a brief two-game homestand by hosting Kansas on Wednesday, December 3. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The Wildcats will open play inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Friday morning, raising the curtain on the 2025 edition of the event with a 10 a.m. CT clash against Abilene Christian. Northwestern will be back in action just over 24 hours later for a 12:30 p.m. CT meeting with Missouri on Saturday afternoon. Both games will be televised live on ION.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern rallied back from a 15-point second-quarter deficit as it held off visiting Cleveland State, 75-68, last Friday inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Grace Sullivan posted her second double-double of the season to lead the 'Cats in the win, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Sullivan was named to the Big Ten Honor Roll on Monday after averaging 23.0 points and 10.0 rebounds across two Northwestern wins last week.
Northwestern tied a season high with eight made threes in the win, six of which came as part of a breakout performance from Claire Keswick. Keswick, who tallied her first collegiate points, poured in 18 points of 6-of-14 shooting from deep. The sophomore's six made threes tied for the third most in a single game in school history and are the most by a Wildcat since Caileigh Walsh hit six treys against Rutgers on March 1, 2023.
Tayla Thomas rounded out a trio in double figures for Northwestern with 11 points and six rebounds. Thomas also continued her strong work on the defensive end of the floor, recording three blocks. She currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in the category, averaging 1.8 rejections per outing. Caroline Lau again orchestrated the Wildcat attack, dishing out a game-high 12 assists, her eighth career outing with 10-plus helpers.
SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
Abilene Christian makes its way to the Sunshine State at 4-1 through its first five games of 2025-26. The Wildcats bounced back from their first loss of the year, a 77-76 setback to Stephen F. Austin, with a 60-51 road win over North Texas in their most recent action on November 19. Tabbed the preseason favorite in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, veteran head coach Julie Goodenough's team finished 22-13 (9-7 WAC) last season, a campaign that culminated with a run to the Super 16 of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
WAC Preseason Player of the Year Payton Hull leads the charge for Abilene Christian. Fresh off a sophomore campaign that saw her finish atop the league in scoring (18.9 ppg), Hull has picked up right where she left off, averaging 15.6 points across the Wildcats' first five games.
Erin Woodson has gotten her 2025-26 campaign off to a red-hot start, putting up 15.0 points per game, a mark that trails only Hull on Abilene Christian's scoring chart. Meredith Mayes, a fellow Preseason All-WAC honoree alongside Hull, adds 13.6 points per game and leads the team in rebounding, collecting 7.0 caroms per contest.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
Fresh off a 71-54 win over Washington State as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Missouri makes its way to Fort Myers at 5-2 overall. Under the direction of head coach Kellie Harper, who is in her first year leading the program following stints at Missouri State and Tennessee, the Tigers were voted to finish 13th in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Preseason Poll.
The pairing of Shannon Dowell and Grace Slaughter has been at the forefront of the Missouri attack through the season's opening seven games. Dowell, who spent the first two years of her career at Illinois State, averages a team-best 19.1 points, a mark bolstered by a 30-point outburst in the Tigers' 81-50 win over Southern Illinois on November 18. Slaughter has been equally as impressive for Harper's team, cracking the 20-point mark on three occasions en route to averaging 17.7 points per contest. The junior guard pumped in a season-high 27 points as part of a 77-69 win at Tulane on November 6.
Jordana Reisma closes out a trio of players to average in double figures for Missouri, adding 11.7 points per game. Reisma also rips down 8.0 rebounds per game, sharing the team lead in the category with Dowell.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's tilt inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena will serve as the first meeting between Northwestern and Abilene Christian on the hardwood. In their only previous tilt with a current WAC member, the 'Cats downed UT Arlington, 74-47, on December 16, 2019.
Northwestern and Missouri will battle for the sixth time on Saturday. The Tigers lead the all-time series by a slim 3-2 (.600) margin, but the 'Cats have won back-to-back meetings against the Tigers, most recently picking up 74-70 win at the Mizzou Arena on December 3, 2011.
UP NEXT
After returning from Florida, Northwestern begins a brief two-game homestand by hosting Kansas on Wednesday, December 3. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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