Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, December 18
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Loyola Chicago
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Set For Field Trip Day Matchup With Loyola Chicago
12/17/2025 11:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Over 3,000 local students to be in attendance at Welsh-Ryan Arena
EVANSTON, Ill. (December 17, 2025) – Northwestern (6-4, 0-1 B1G) hits the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood for the final time in calendar year 2025 on Thursday morning when it hosts local rival Loyola Chicago for Field Trip Day at 11 a.m. CT, with upwards of 3,000 local students set to be in attendance.
LAST TIME OUT
Caroline Lau and Grace Sullivan paced the Wildcat attack as Northwestern dropped a 91-66 decision to Utah last Sunday at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Lau further etched her name in Wildcat annals, as she became the seventh player in program history to join the 500-assist club. The Westport, Conn. native dished out 10 helpers, her fourth game of 10-plus assists in 2025-26, in addition to adding 12 points en route to her fifth career double-double.
Sullivan extended her streak of games with 20 or more points to seven with a 21-point effort that led the Wildcats on the afternoon. Tate Lash rounded out a trio of 'Cats in double figures in the matchup, chipping in 11 points. Lash also made her presence felt on the defensive end of the floor, coming away with a team-high three steals.
SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO
Loyola Chicago (3-7, 0-1 A-10) snapped a brief two-game skid with a 59-56 win over Oakland this past Monday at Gentile Arena in Rogers Park. The Ramblers, who were tabbed 13th in the Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll, are led by fourth-year head coach Allison Guth. Guth is no stranger to Evanston, having previously served as an assistant coach for head coach Joe McKeown from 2013-15.
Loyola welcomes back eight letterwinners from last season's team that finished 13-17 overall, a mark that included a 5-13 ledger in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
Through the early stages of the new campaign, Guth's team has been led by standout freshman Alex-Anne Bessette. Bessette, who poured in a career-high 18 points earlier in the week against Oakland, averages a team-best 11.3 points per game and has scored in double figures in four of her last five outings. Brooklyn Vaughn has established herself as the Ramblers' top rebounder, pulling down 6.6 caroms per contest. Vaughn put up back-to-back double-doubles in matchups with Maryland Eastern Shore (22 pts, 10 reb) and Illinois State (10 pts, 13 reb) earlier this season.
SERIES STUFF
Separated by just over four miles on Sheridan Road, Thursday's matinee will mark the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Loyola, a series in which the Wildcats lead by a commanding 26-1 (.963) margin.
When the two teams met last season inside Gentile Arena, Taylor Williams put up a game-high 22 points and ripped down 14 rebounds as the Wildcats came away with a 73-64 victory. Sullivan (15 points) and Caileigh Walsh (10 points) joined Williams in double figures in scoring in the win.
Loyola's lone victory against Northwestern came in its last visit to Welsh-Ryan Arena, as the Ramblers escaped Evanston with a 73-68 triumph on November 23, 2024.
UP NEXT
Northwestern closes non-conference play when it visits Washington, D.C. to battle George Washington at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 21.
LAST TIME OUT
Caroline Lau and Grace Sullivan paced the Wildcat attack as Northwestern dropped a 91-66 decision to Utah last Sunday at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Lau further etched her name in Wildcat annals, as she became the seventh player in program history to join the 500-assist club. The Westport, Conn. native dished out 10 helpers, her fourth game of 10-plus assists in 2025-26, in addition to adding 12 points en route to her fifth career double-double.
Sullivan extended her streak of games with 20 or more points to seven with a 21-point effort that led the Wildcats on the afternoon. Tate Lash rounded out a trio of 'Cats in double figures in the matchup, chipping in 11 points. Lash also made her presence felt on the defensive end of the floor, coming away with a team-high three steals.
SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO
Loyola Chicago (3-7, 0-1 A-10) snapped a brief two-game skid with a 59-56 win over Oakland this past Monday at Gentile Arena in Rogers Park. The Ramblers, who were tabbed 13th in the Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll, are led by fourth-year head coach Allison Guth. Guth is no stranger to Evanston, having previously served as an assistant coach for head coach Joe McKeown from 2013-15.
Loyola welcomes back eight letterwinners from last season's team that finished 13-17 overall, a mark that included a 5-13 ledger in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
Through the early stages of the new campaign, Guth's team has been led by standout freshman Alex-Anne Bessette. Bessette, who poured in a career-high 18 points earlier in the week against Oakland, averages a team-best 11.3 points per game and has scored in double figures in four of her last five outings. Brooklyn Vaughn has established herself as the Ramblers' top rebounder, pulling down 6.6 caroms per contest. Vaughn put up back-to-back double-doubles in matchups with Maryland Eastern Shore (22 pts, 10 reb) and Illinois State (10 pts, 13 reb) earlier this season.
SERIES STUFF
Separated by just over four miles on Sheridan Road, Thursday's matinee will mark the 28th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Loyola, a series in which the Wildcats lead by a commanding 26-1 (.963) margin.
When the two teams met last season inside Gentile Arena, Taylor Williams put up a game-high 22 points and ripped down 14 rebounds as the Wildcats came away with a 73-64 victory. Sullivan (15 points) and Caileigh Walsh (10 points) joined Williams in double figures in scoring in the win.
Loyola's lone victory against Northwestern came in its last visit to Welsh-Ryan Arena, as the Ramblers escaped Evanston with a 73-68 triumph on November 23, 2024.
UP NEXT
Northwestern closes non-conference play when it visits Washington, D.C. to battle George Washington at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 21.
Players Mentioned
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