How to Watch Nebraska Women’s Basketball vs. Northwestern: Preview, Breakdown, Streaming

Bubble watch continues for the Nebraska women’s basketball team.

Entering the regular season finale, the Huskers are firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble with NU needing to make some noise at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis to secure its spot in March Madness. A blowout loss to Washington on Senior Day didn’t help their chances with the Huskies being another team on the bubble.

Alexis Markowski continued her dominant play with 19 points and 12 rebounds for another double-double, but a 21-5 third quarter by Washington led to the 83-62 blowout. Jessica Petrie was the only other Husker to reach double figures with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the lack of secondary scoring doomed Nebraska in their final game at Pinnacle Bank Arena for the season.

Now, the Huskers aim to end the regular season on a positive and continue to build its resume for the postseason.

Here’s all you need to know ahead for NU’s regular season finale at Northwestern.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: Nebraska (18-10, 9-8 B1G) at Northwestern (9-17, 2-15 B1G)
When: Sunday, March 2, 2025
Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Ill.
Time: 2 p.m. CST
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown reacts during a NCAA Big Ten Conference women's basketball game against Iowa, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. 230111 Northwestern Iowa Wbb 036 Jpg | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Northwestern Scout

Head Coach: Joe McKeown | 17th Season at Northwestern; 39thth as HC | 270-263 (.507) at Northwestern; 777-427 (.645) Career HC Record | 17x NCAA Tournament Appearances, 1x Elite Eight, 3x Sweet 16s, 1x Gold Medal at 2015 World University Games | 10x A-10 regular season titles, 4x A-10 tournament titles, 1x B1G regular season title | 5x A-10 Coach OTY, 1x B1G Coach OTY | Previous head coach at George Washington and New Mexico State | Previous assistant at Oklahoma and Kent State.

2023-24 Record: 9-21 (4-14 B1G, 13th) | Did not qualify for the postseason.

All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 16-8 (Feb. 20, 2024 last matchup, 75-50 Nebraska).

Key Additions: Taylor Williams, F, Gr. (Michigan) | Grace Sullivan, F, Jr. (Bucknell) | Kyla Jones, G, Gr. (Brown).

Key Departures: Paige Mott, F, Gr. (George Washington) | Hailey Weaver, G (Retirement) | Maggie Pina, G (Eligibility) | Jasmine McWilliams, G (Eligibility) | Alana Goodchild, F, Jr. (Santa Clara).

Nov 15, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Melannie Daley (21) drives to the basket in the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Outlook: Despite returning three of the five leading scorers from last season, Northwestern is set for its third-straight losing season. It’s been downhill for 17-year head coach Joe McKeown and the Wildcats since a three-year run from 2018-2021 when the program went 63-28 including a Big Ten regular season title during the 2020 season when the NCAA Tournament was canceled.

Returners Melannie Daley and Caileigh Walsh are back averaging double digits with Walsh adding a team-high 12.0 PPG and 4.5 RPG while Daley contributes 11.6 PPG. Casey Harter and Caroline Lau have started 25 of the 26 games this season after both spent time as starters last season. Harter scores seven points per contest while Lau averages nearly five points and rebounds per game.

The Wildcats made some impactful additions through the transfer portal over the offseason starting with graduate forward Taylor Williams. She played in 24 games for Michigan last season before coming to Evanston where she’s second on the team with 11.8 PPG while leading all Wildcats with 9.5 RPG – which is fourth in the conference. Another transfer forward, Grace Sullivan spent her first two years at Bucknell and has averaged 10.2 PPG in her first season in the Power Four.

It’s no surprise to see Northwestern in the bottom tier of most statistical categories in the conference, scoring the fourth-fewest points while allowing the second-most points. They also struggle from three-point land sitting last with a team percentage of 28.6. The Wildcast are also second-to-last with a 66.5% from the free throw line.

Nebraska has all the motivation in the world in their regular season finale while the Wildcats are destined to miss any kind of postseason for the fourth-straight season. The lack of scoring prowess from the three-point line will allow the Huskers to focus their inside near the post. Give me Nebraska on the road to finish the regular season on a positive note.

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