It was a game of runs between Northwestern and No. 25 Illinois Sunday in Champaign. The 'Cats and the Illini battled, but NU could never quite get over the hump to take a lead and ended up losing by a final of 74-71.
Grace Sullivan, as per usual, led the way for the Wildcats with 21 points and nine rebounds. Guard Xamiya Walton also had another nice game, finishing with 19 points and five made three pointers.
The 'Cats actually shot the ball well, outdoing the Illini with a 45% mark from the field to their 38%. Northwestern also did an admirable job avoiding turnovers, finishing with just five.
The major issue was on the glass. Northwestern got boat raced all day on the boards, finishing with 27 to the Illini's 42. It killed any sot of advantage the 'Cats could have used from shooting well and playing a relatively clean game.
Northwestern got off to a solid start in the first quarter against the No. 25 team in the country, finishing the opening frame trailing just 21-17.
The 'Cats shot the ball pretty well early, which was the main key for them to keep pace. Both teams were at 44% from the field at the end of the opening quarter. Northwestern was also winning the turnover battle early, helping to offset the brutal rebounding situation, which was an evident problem from the jump.
In the second quarter, the 'Cats got hot. Northwestern went on a commanding 14-3 run early in the second to take the lead, fueled by seven points from Sullivan and five from Walton. Those two really carried the load for NU in the first half.
But after an Illinois timeout, the script was flipped. The Illini almost immediately went on a 10-0 of their own to snatch the lead back from the 'Cats. By the time the buzzer sounded to end the first half, Illinois led by a score of 40-33.
In the third quarter, the game of runs continued. Illinois got up by double digits in the middle of the period, but the 'Cats came sprinting back again with an 8-0 run to enter the final quarter trailing 58-51.
Northwestern got balanced scoring in the third, something it's struggled with at times this year when Sullivan has had to be Nick Martinelli. It also benefited from a couple made threes by Walton and Casey Harter, who struggled a bit to get herself going early in the matchup.
In the fourth quarter, the 'Cats continued their run, pulling to within two by the seven minute mark. They kept it right there for the remainder of the game, and the score was 73-71 Illinois with 20 seconds left and Wildcat possession.
Unfortunately, Sullivan missed on the ensuing possession, and Northwestern couldn't come out on top in the fouling game.
Northwestern will be back in action next Sunday at home to take on No. 3 UCLA, hoping for a massive upset at the Welsh.