Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, December 7
Evanston, Ill.
1 p.m. CT
Northwestern
6-3,0-1Big Ten
70
vs
79
Ohio State
7-1,1-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Ohio St.
10
23
28
18
79
Northwestern
16
9
22
23
70
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Battle Until The End, Fall To No. 23 Ohio State, 79-70
12/7/2025 4:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sullivan pours in career-high 37 points to lead Northwestern
EVANSTON, Ill. (December 7, 2025) – Grace Sullivan turned in one of the top offensive performances in Wildcat annals as Northwestern (6-3, 0-1 B1G) gave No. 23 Ohio State (7-1, 1-0 B1G) all it could handle in a 79-70 setback this afternoon inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
How It Happened
Sullivan was a force from the opening tip, scoring Northwestern's first 12 points, the last two of which gave the 'Cats a 12-10 edge at the 3:02 mark. Tate Lash drilled a pull-up jumper to push the lead to four, 14-10, before Sullivan capped off the frame with a driving score that staked the 'Cats to a 16-10 advantage.
After putting up 14 points in the first quarter, Sullivan turned from scorer to distributor, finding Tayla Thomas inside to make it a 20-16 Northwestern lead with three minutes gone in the second quarter. Xamiya Walton knocked down the first three of the afternoon for the 'Cats shortly after, stretching the gap to five, 23-18. Following another Sullivan bucket that reestablished a three-point lead, 25-22, Ohio State closed the half on a tear, rattling off 11 unanswered points to charge into halftime with a 33-25 lead.
The Wildcats looked to chip away from beyond the three-point arc coming out of the locker room, with Casey Harter and Caroline Lau connecting on back-to-back trips to cut the margin to 35-31 with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter. Ohio State answered, taking off on a 7-0 spurt to expand the lead into double digits, 42-31, en route to holding a 61-47 lead heading to the final frame.
Northwestern battled down the stretch in the fourth quarter, closing back within single digits in the final seconds, but saw time run out on its comeback hopes as Ohio State prevailed in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
Gallery: (12-7-2025) Women's Basketball vs. Ohio State
Inside The Box Score
- Sullivan smashed her week-old career high, as she finished with 37 points (17-28 FGs, 3-3 FTs), eight rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block.
- Sullivan's 37 points are tied for the fifth most in a single game in program history, a mark first established by Amy Jaeschke against Central Michigan on December 11, 2010.
- Sullivan is the first Wildcat since Nia Coffey to reach the 35-point mark.
- Harter knocked down a team-best three attempts from distance on the way to an 11-point showing (3-9 FGs, 3-6 3FGs, 2-2 FTs).
- Walton rounded out a trio of Wildcats in double figures with 10 points (4-10 FGs, 2-5 3FGs).
- Lau finished just two assists shy of matching the single-game program record in the category, as she handed out 14 helpers, in addition to six points (2-7 FGs, 2-4 3FGs) and seven rebounds.
- Lau, who is currently averaging an NCAA-best 9.4 assists per game, has three outings with 10-plus assists this season.
- Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State with 22 points (10-19 FGs, 2-2 FTs).
Up Next
Following a break for final exams, Northwestern heads west to Salt Lake City, Utah for a 3 p.m. CT clash with Utah on Sunday, December 14.
How It Happened
Sullivan was a force from the opening tip, scoring Northwestern's first 12 points, the last two of which gave the 'Cats a 12-10 edge at the 3:02 mark. Tate Lash drilled a pull-up jumper to push the lead to four, 14-10, before Sullivan capped off the frame with a driving score that staked the 'Cats to a 16-10 advantage.
After putting up 14 points in the first quarter, Sullivan turned from scorer to distributor, finding Tayla Thomas inside to make it a 20-16 Northwestern lead with three minutes gone in the second quarter. Xamiya Walton knocked down the first three of the afternoon for the 'Cats shortly after, stretching the gap to five, 23-18. Following another Sullivan bucket that reestablished a three-point lead, 25-22, Ohio State closed the half on a tear, rattling off 11 unanswered points to charge into halftime with a 33-25 lead.
The Wildcats looked to chip away from beyond the three-point arc coming out of the locker room, with Casey Harter and Caroline Lau connecting on back-to-back trips to cut the margin to 35-31 with 7:42 remaining in the third quarter. Ohio State answered, taking off on a 7-0 spurt to expand the lead into double digits, 42-31, en route to holding a 61-47 lead heading to the final frame.
Northwestern battled down the stretch in the fourth quarter, closing back within single digits in the final seconds, but saw time run out on its comeback hopes as Ohio State prevailed in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
Inside The Box Score
- Sullivan smashed her week-old career high, as she finished with 37 points (17-28 FGs, 3-3 FTs), eight rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block.
- Sullivan's 37 points are tied for the fifth most in a single game in program history, a mark first established by Amy Jaeschke against Central Michigan on December 11, 2010.
- Sullivan is the first Wildcat since Nia Coffey to reach the 35-point mark.
- Harter knocked down a team-best three attempts from distance on the way to an 11-point showing (3-9 FGs, 3-6 3FGs, 2-2 FTs).
- Walton rounded out a trio of Wildcats in double figures with 10 points (4-10 FGs, 2-5 3FGs).
- Lau finished just two assists shy of matching the single-game program record in the category, as she handed out 14 helpers, in addition to six points (2-7 FGs, 2-4 3FGs) and seven rebounds.
- Lau, who is currently averaging an NCAA-best 9.4 assists per game, has three outings with 10-plus assists this season.
- Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State with 22 points (10-19 FGs, 2-2 FTs).
Up Next
Following a break for final exams, Northwestern heads west to Salt Lake City, Utah for a 3 p.m. CT clash with Utah on Sunday, December 14.
Team Stats
OSU
NU
FG%
.412
.433
3FG%
.222
.389
FT%
.864
1.000
RB
37
38
TO
13
19
STL
11
5
Game Leaders
Pts
37
FGM
17
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
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