Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, January 11
Evanston, Ill.
2 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Rutgers
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Open Homestand Sunday, Host Rutgers
1/10/2026 11:15:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Northwestern seeks fourth straight win over Scarlet Knights
EVANSTON, Ill. (January 10, 2026) – After playing four of its last five games on the road, Northwestern (6-10, 0-5 B1G) kicks off a two-game homestand inside Welsh-Ryan Arena with a 2 p.m. CT Sunday matinee against Rutgers. The matchup against the Scarlet Knights closes out a stretch of four games in 10 days for the 'Cats.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota limited Northwestern to just under 30 percent shooting from the field as it defeated the Wildcats by a final score of 79-47 this past Thursday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.
Xamiya Walton enjoyed one of the top offensive showings of her collegiate career, closing her night with a team-high 16 points. Walton, who finished just one point off the top scoring output of her collegiate career, knocked down four attempts from beyond the three-point arc, tying a career high.
Grace Sullivan reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time this season, adding 11 points. Caroline Lau posted team-high marks in both rebounds (8) and assists (7). Lau's seven helpers saw the senior guard climb to fourth on the program's all-time leaderboard in the category with 549 career assists.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers (8-8, 0-5 B1G) is mired in a four-game slide, a streak that was extended by an 88-41 loss to No. 8 Maryland on Thursday night at Jersey Mike's Arena. Dating back to a 79-36 setback to No. 12 Iowa on December 6, the Scarlet Knights have dropped six of their last seven outings.
Nene Ndiaye has impressed for fourth-year head coach Coquese Washington's team throughout the first half of the 2025-26 campaign. A transfer out of Boston College, Ndiaye, who averages a team-high 15.0 points, has scored in double figures in all but two games while posting four 20-plus point performances. The junior forward has also contributed on the defensive end of the floor, where she leads the Scarlet Knights in steals (1.7 spg).
The pairing of Imani Lester (10.9 ppg) and Zachara Perkins (10.0 ppg) provides additional scoring support. Lester has averaged 12.3 points across Rutgers' last four games, scoring in double figures three times, while Perkins tied a season-high with 17 points in a matchup with Wisconsin on January 1. Like Ndiaye, Lester has made an impact defensively, averaging just shy of 1.3 blocks per game.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern owns a 10-7 (.588) advantage in 17 previous meetings against Rutgers, with 15 of those encounters coming since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference prior to the 2014-15 academic year. The 'Cats have taken control of the series of late, winning three straight matchups.
Northwestern has been dominant on its home floor against Rutgers, winning six of the seven meetings.
When the two teams met last season inside Jersey Mike's Arena, Northwestern used a balanced scoring effort that featured five players in double figures to secure a 69-59 win over the Scarlet Knights on February 17, 2025.
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back on the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood on Thursday, January 15, when it entertains Wisconsin at 7 p.m. CT.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota limited Northwestern to just under 30 percent shooting from the field as it defeated the Wildcats by a final score of 79-47 this past Thursday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.
Xamiya Walton enjoyed one of the top offensive showings of her collegiate career, closing her night with a team-high 16 points. Walton, who finished just one point off the top scoring output of her collegiate career, knocked down four attempts from beyond the three-point arc, tying a career high.
Grace Sullivan reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time this season, adding 11 points. Caroline Lau posted team-high marks in both rebounds (8) and assists (7). Lau's seven helpers saw the senior guard climb to fourth on the program's all-time leaderboard in the category with 549 career assists.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers (8-8, 0-5 B1G) is mired in a four-game slide, a streak that was extended by an 88-41 loss to No. 8 Maryland on Thursday night at Jersey Mike's Arena. Dating back to a 79-36 setback to No. 12 Iowa on December 6, the Scarlet Knights have dropped six of their last seven outings.
Nene Ndiaye has impressed for fourth-year head coach Coquese Washington's team throughout the first half of the 2025-26 campaign. A transfer out of Boston College, Ndiaye, who averages a team-high 15.0 points, has scored in double figures in all but two games while posting four 20-plus point performances. The junior forward has also contributed on the defensive end of the floor, where she leads the Scarlet Knights in steals (1.7 spg).
The pairing of Imani Lester (10.9 ppg) and Zachara Perkins (10.0 ppg) provides additional scoring support. Lester has averaged 12.3 points across Rutgers' last four games, scoring in double figures three times, while Perkins tied a season-high with 17 points in a matchup with Wisconsin on January 1. Like Ndiaye, Lester has made an impact defensively, averaging just shy of 1.3 blocks per game.
SERIES STUFF
Northwestern owns a 10-7 (.588) advantage in 17 previous meetings against Rutgers, with 15 of those encounters coming since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference prior to the 2014-15 academic year. The 'Cats have taken control of the series of late, winning three straight matchups.
Northwestern has been dominant on its home floor against Rutgers, winning six of the seven meetings.
When the two teams met last season inside Jersey Mike's Arena, Northwestern used a balanced scoring effort that featured five players in double figures to secure a 69-59 win over the Scarlet Knights on February 17, 2025.
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back on the Welsh-Ryan Arena hardwood on Thursday, January 15, when it entertains Wisconsin at 7 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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