EVANSTON, Ill. (January 25, 2026) — Senior forward Grace Sullivan recorded a team-high 21 points and grabbed four rebounds as Northwestern fell, 80-46, to No. 3 UCLA on Sunday afternoon in Welsh-Ryan Arena.Â
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The Wildcats (8-12, 2-7 Big Ten) were within striking distance early but couldn't outpace a powerful paint performance from the Bruins (19-1, 9-0 Big Ten).
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"We were ready to play," Head Coach Joe McKeown said. "The first quarter was where we wanted it to be, I felt like the pace was right. And then, we just hit a buzzsaw. We've seen them do it to almost everybody they have played."
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In addition to a stellar scoring showing from Sullivan, who has tallied at least 15 points in each of her five Big Ten home games, sophomore guard Xamiya Walton turned in nine points on 3-of-5 shooting. Walton excelled from long range, converting all of her points from three-point land.
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Senior guard Caroline Lau ran the floor with five points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
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Northwestern forced UCLA into 13 turnovers and held the visitors to a season-low 23.5% clip from beyond the arc. The Bruins' three-point percentage marked their lowest in a regular-season conference game since Feb. 23, 2025 against Iowa.
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Walton drained a pair of first-quarter triples — including a shot at the buzzer — to help pace Northwestern's early offensive effort. After 10 minutes of action, the Bruins led, 21-14.
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Although Sullivan knocked down 3-of-4 second-quarter shots en route to six points in the frame, UCLA stretched its lead to 46-22 heading into halftime.
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The Bruins maintained their stronghold in the second half to remain undefeated in conference play.
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"We can watch this, take a step back and understand that we need to get stronger in certain areas," Sullivan said. "We can make this a positive, a learning experience by just seeing what it takes."
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The Wildcats will return to action on the road on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at Nebraska. Tipoff from Pinnacle Bank Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
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The Wildcats (8-12, 2-7 Big Ten) were within striking distance early but couldn't outpace a powerful paint performance from the Bruins (19-1, 9-0 Big Ten).
Â
"We were ready to play," Head Coach Joe McKeown said. "The first quarter was where we wanted it to be, I felt like the pace was right. And then, we just hit a buzzsaw. We've seen them do it to almost everybody they have played."
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Gallery: (1-25-2026) Women's Basketball vs. #3 UCLA
In addition to a stellar scoring showing from Sullivan, who has tallied at least 15 points in each of her five Big Ten home games, sophomore guard Xamiya Walton turned in nine points on 3-of-5 shooting. Walton excelled from long range, converting all of her points from three-point land.
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Senior guard Caroline Lau ran the floor with five points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
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Northwestern forced UCLA into 13 turnovers and held the visitors to a season-low 23.5% clip from beyond the arc. The Bruins' three-point percentage marked their lowest in a regular-season conference game since Feb. 23, 2025 against Iowa.
Â
Walton drained a pair of first-quarter triples — including a shot at the buzzer — to help pace Northwestern's early offensive effort. After 10 minutes of action, the Bruins led, 21-14.
Â
Although Sullivan knocked down 3-of-4 second-quarter shots en route to six points in the frame, UCLA stretched its lead to 46-22 heading into halftime.
Â
The Bruins maintained their stronghold in the second half to remain undefeated in conference play.
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"We can watch this, take a step back and understand that we need to get stronger in certain areas," Sullivan said. "We can make this a positive, a learning experience by just seeing what it takes."
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The Wildcats will return to action on the road on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at Nebraska. Tipoff from Pinnacle Bank Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.