A thrilling one-point heartbreaker. Northwestern battled back from a deficit, only to see the victory slip away at the buzzer.
Despite a dynamic rally from a double-digit deficit and traded leads down the stretch, Northwestern went heartbroken by one point after the final corner shot bounced off the rim.
Northwestern (6-5, 0-1 B1G) dropped to a local battle against Loyola Chicago (4-7, 0-1 MVC) 68-69 at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday, suffering a five-game losing streak, drifting away from the winning column.
Grace Sullivan, playing only nine minutes and scoring six, was forced to be out of the game due to the injury. Tayla Thomas shouldered the most scoring duty with a game-high 30 points, combining with 11 rebounds. Caroline Lau posted 12 points and made nine assists. Tate Lash scored 10 points with four assists.
On the Loyola Chicago side, Alex-Anne Bessette led the Ramblers with 22 points. Brooklyn Vaughn contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Sullivan opened with a post jumper, but Northwestern went ice-cold over the next three minutes as Loyola Chicago surged ahead with six unanswered points. Thomas broke the drought with four straight points in the paint before Sullivan, facing double teams, knocked down another jumper. The Ramblers seized an early lead from Northwestern turnovers.
Sullivan drew a foul on a drive and hit two free throws to tie the game, prompting the Wildcats to switch to full-court pressure. Vaughn and Rosalie Mercille responded with consecutive and-one plays, building a five-point Loyola lead. Lau found Daija Turner cutting for a layup, but Sullivan's injury—forcing her exit after a collision—shifted the scoring obligation to Thomas, who scored four straight to keep Northwestern within 20-16 entering the second quarter.
Lash opened the second period with a clock-beating three, but Mercille immediately answered. Bessette dominated inside with a spinning post move, and Roisin Grandberry added a fastbreak three. Bessette's three-pointer extended Loyola's lead to nine during another Northwestern drought.
Lau fed Lash in transition, and Thomas added a layup to cut the deficit to 31-26. Bessette's driving layup rebuilt the cushion, but Lash's weakside three before halftime pulled Northwestern within five at the break.
Lau ignited Northwestern's comeback, scoring four quick points in the opening minute to slice the deficit. Bessette answered with a layup after a timeout, but Lau drilled a three-pointer to keep the Wildcats within striking distance. Vaughn's foul-drawn play pushed Loyola's lead back to seven, but Lau responded with another three, pulling Northwestern within 56-60 with 6:39 remaining.
Xamiya Walton attacked the basket with a tough reverse layup, making it a one-point game. Thomas then spun in the post and scored, giving Northwestern its first lead since the opening possession.
Thomas continued her clutch performance, grabbing an offensive rebound, drawing a foul, and hitting the bonus shot for a three-point advantage. But the Ramblers clawed back, retaking the lead 65-64.
Lash, after missing consecutive shots, hit a fadeaway in the paint to beat the pressure and reclaim the lead. With two minutes left, Northwestern committed a costly offensive foul, surrendering possession. The Wildcats made a critical defensive stop on Bessette's three-point attempt and called a timeout.
Thomas delivered again in the clutch, grabbing her own miss and putting back the second-chance bucket. Bessette answered immediately in the paint, giving Loyola a 69-68 edge with seconds remaining.
In the final possession, Claire Keswick's corner three-pointer rimmed out. Northwestern fell to the Ramblers 69-68, extending their losing streak to five games in heartbreaking fashion.
Northwestern will play at George Washing on Sunday (Dec. 21) at 12 p.m. CT.