Grace Sullivan was a stud against Missouri at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Saturday, but her 31-point performance wasn't enough to will Northwestern to a win. The 'Cats fell for the first time this regular season by a score of 85-70. This was also Northwestern's second game at the Tip-Off, after it narrowly escaped with a win vs. Abilene Christian yesterday.

Sullivan, of course, was NU's leading scorer, but she also made a serious impact on the glass with 13 rebounds. Tate Lash also had one of her better games of the season, finishing with 10 points and eight assists. Head coach Joe McKeown has been telling reporters to watch out for Lash as she gets more comfortable in the program, and today felt like a step in the right direction.

The first half between the 'Cats and the Tigers was a battle between Sullivan and Missouri guard Grace Slaughter. The two stars traded punches all half, finishing the opening 20 minutes with 19 and 21 points, respectively. 

The 'Cats trailed 23-19 after the first quarter, despite Sullivan's immediate offensive explosion. Northwestern's scoring leader had 12 points and six rebounds in the first ten minutes of the game, and she'd finish the half just two boards shy of the double-double.

After Northwestern took an early five-point lead, its shooters went cold and Missouri got hot. The 'Cats had a 1-for-8 stretch in the middle of the opening quarter which allowed the Tigers to claim a lead they would mostly maintain for the remainder of the game outside of a couple instances where NU tied them up or led by one. The 'Cats got back on track from the field after that stretch, but it was a crucial swing with lasting impact on the scoreboard.

Northwestern trailed 42-36 heading into halftime despite out-rebounding Missouri 21-18 and shooting at a 45% clip from the field (Missouri shot 41%). The 'Cats only turned it over four times, a pretty good mark for them in a half, but they only forced one turnover on the other end. Ultimately, Missouri's clean offense and Slaughter's production were the difference. 

Slaughter and Sullivan continued to get after it in the second half. By the end of the third quarter, Missouri's leading scorer had 28 points on the scoresheet while Sullivan was up to 27. 

Northwestern kept itself close in the penultimate quarter, consistently matching the Tigers whenever they'd score baskets. The Wildcats also made four triples in the third, exceeding their total from the first half. That development allowed them to supplement Sullivan's scoring despite minimal interior production from anyone else.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Northwestern trailed 62-58. The game was certainly within reach, as it had been all day, but the 'Cats just hadn't quite built up enough momentum to take the lead yet. They were looking to get over that hump in the final 10 minutes.

Instead, the opposite happened. The Tigers lengthened their lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and Northwestern's offense went cold at the wrong time. By the media timeout, Missouri's lead was up to 68-61. From there, the 'Cats were never able to climb back in it. Missouri took over the game, outscoring the Wildcats 23-12 in the fourth quarter and handing them their first loss became official.

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