Northwestern graduate student guard Kyla Jones split her foul shots to cut No. 23 Michigan’s lead down to two with 2:21 left in regulation, but the team failed to score another point for the rest of the game. The Wildcats dropped their first Big Ten game of the season, losing 60-54 Sunday.
The ’Cats (4-4, 0-1 Big Ten) shot better from the field than the Wolverines (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) but were outscored 11-1 at the free throw line, which was the difference maker in the single-digit loss.
Jones led the charge for NU, scoring 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Senior forward Caileigh Walsh added 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting while junior guard Caroline Lau posted nine points, five rebounds and seven assists.
The ’Cats fought back from an early first-quarter deficit and led by four points heading into the fourth quarter. Yet, NU couldn’t hold onto their lead in the final frame.
The ’Cats and Michigan came out trading buckets for the better half of the first quarter, fueled by strong ball movement on both sides. By the first quarter’s media timeout, Michigan led NU 10-9, with Wolverines guard Olivia Olson due for a trip to the foul line.
Olson hit her free throw, and the Wolverines began to outpace the ’Cats, generating easy baskets in the paint. With a buzzer-beating layup from guard Mila Holloway, Michigan finished the quarter up 20-13.
The ’Cats and Wolverines both went cold to start the second quarter. With 5:50 remaining in the half first, Michigan led 23-17.
Two consecutive NU baskets brought the game within two points before the Wolverines pulled away, going on a 7-0 run to bring the score to 30-21.
Yet, as the half came to a close, the ’Cats responded with a 10-2 run, clawing its way back into contention. NU entered halftime down only one point as it trailed Michigan 32-31.
In the first half, the ’Cats took just one trip to the foul line, where graduate student forward Taylor Williams missed both of her tries. Meanwhile, the Wolverines drew multiple fouls and went 7-of-8 from the stripe.
Immediately out of halftime, Jones banked in her layup off the glass to give NU a 33-32 lead, their first since leading 9-8 in the first quarter.
After bringing the score to 39-36, both teams went scoreless for over three minutes. With 1:26 left in the third, Michigan managed to bring the score within one point, but Lau launched a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to give the ’Cats a 44-40 lead heading into the final frame.
The Wolverines swiftly reclaimed the lead and extended it to six points in the fourth quarter. NU retaliated with a 6-0 run of its own to knot it up at 50-50 with 4:15 left in the game.
The ’Cats reclaimed the lead 53-52 off a three-pointer by Walsh with 3:36 left to play. But less than a minute later, Walsh was whistled for her fifth foul of the game and was sidelined for the remaining action.
After Walsh fouled out, NU only scored one more point – Jones’ free throw. Meanwhile, Michigan tacked on eight more points to secure the victory at home.
The ’Cats will return to Welsh-Ryan Arena this Sunday to battle Bradley.
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