After a listless first quarter that ended with Northwestern down double-digits to the visiting Cleveland State Vikings, the 'Cats got it together. Shooting woes were rectified, and NU managed a hasty come back, ultimately winning 75-68.

Grace Sullivan led the way for the Wildcats, as per usual. She's becoming as reliable of a scorer as you could ask for, and she finished this contest with 20 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Claire Keswick was also crucial in the comeback, drilling six three-balls and scoring 18 points.

There's no sugar coating it -- Northwestern was truly dreadful out of the gates in this one, and it started with the missed shots. It felt like there was a lid on the rim for the 'Cats in the first quarter, which it finished trailing 20-9.

NU shot just 3-of-15 from the field in the opening stanza, with two buckets coming from Sullivan. In the middle of the quarter, the Vikings managed a 15-2 scoring run that gave them a commanding lead. The Wildcats also began coughing up the ball, something that is always a concern for this team, turning it over five times in the quarter.

Without a gutsy three-ball from Keswick towards the end of the first, things would have looked even worse.

Keswick's three at the end of the first kept them in it, and three more in the second quarter helped them claw all the way back. The 'Cats trailed by 15 points at one point, but they came storming back on a 10-0 run behind Keswick and Sullivan. The former finished the first half with 12 points and the latter with eight. Xamiya Walton also had five, including a bomb of a three-ball from NBA range.

It was an impressive performance from the Wildcats down the stretch to get themselves back into the game. The first quarter was bad enough to sink some teams, but Northwestern showed resilience in this one and trailed by just one at the break.

In the second half, the 'Cats continued to swing momentum in their favor. Northwestern finally took the lead on a Sullivan bucket to start the third quarter. The Wildcats' leading scorer proceeded to dominate the frame, pouring in eight points. Tayla Thomas also had nine in the third, and the 'Cats led 54-50 heading into the final period.

The fourth got a little hairy. The Vikings scored the first two baskets and tied the score up at 54 with around nine minutes remaining. Then, at around the six-minute mark, Keswick came up massive for the 'Cats once again with back-to-back treys.

Unfortunately for Joe McKeown's heart rate, as well as everyone in the arena, it got tight again. With 1:20 to play, Northwestern called timeout in a tie ballgame. Out of the break, Sullivan was fouled on a jumper, and she made both of her free throws. The 'Cats then benefited from a travel on the other end, followed by a massive Tate Lash make from the right wing.

The 'Cats were finally able to close things out from there, finishing off a major comeback after the first quarter.

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