Grace Sullivan Reaches 1,000 Career Points as Northwestern Battles USC

Even in defeat, Grace Sullivan’s achievement stood out for Northwestern

Northwestern’s Grace Sullivan speaks during Big Ten Women’s Basketball Media Days | Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Before the ball ever went up on Wednesday night, Welsh-Ryan Arena paused to celebrate a milestone years in the making. Northwestern senior Grace Sullivan was honored for reaching 1,000 career points. It is a moment that reflected not just scoring ability, but perseverance and growth across multiple collegiate stops. It was a fitting tribute to one of the Wildcats’ most reliable performers, even as the night ultimately belonged to USC.

Northwestern's Grace Sullivan Built on a Championship Foundation

Once play began, Northwestern found itself in a tough battle. The Wildcats fell 83-65 to the Trojans, dropping to 8-15 overall and 2-10 in BIG play. However, USC improved to 14-9 and 6-6 in the conference.

In the Club 🥳

Prior to tip-off, Grace Sullivan was recognized for reaching 1,000 career points! pic.twitter.com/9ac4n24Uym

— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) February 6, 2026

USC wasted little time asserting control. Laura Williams opened the scoring by grabbing her own miss. She capitalized on Northwestern’s early 2-3 zone that allowed clean looks inside.

Still, Sullivan immediately reminded the crowd of why the evening began with celebration. She did it by answering with a quick layup followed by a smooth midrange jumper to spark the Wildcat offense.

For Northwestern, the offensive story followed a familiar script. Grace Sullivan led all Wildcats with 24 points, shooting an efficient 10-of-17 from the field and consistently finding space in the paint and around the elbows. Harter provided the other major punch, finishing with 20 points and four assists while working to create opportunities both for herself and her teammates.

No other Northwestern player scored more than six points. As a team, the Wildcats shot 42 percent from the field but struggled mightily from beyond the arc, connecting on just 19 percent of their three-point attempts.

The Trojans knocked down ten three-pointers and finished the night shooting 47 percent overall. Northwestern, meanwhile, was undone by 16 turnovers and continued rebounding issues. USC won the battle on the glass 40-31.

A Milestone Years in the Making

Reaching 1,000 career points places Sullivan in rare company and underscores her steady rise as a collegiate scorer. Since transferring to Northwestern, she has been a pillar of consistency. During the 2024-25 season, she started 15 of 27 games, shot just over 50 percent from the field, and averaged 10.1 points per game. She scored in double figures 17 times and delivered standout performances against No. 10 Ohio State and No. 24 Minnesota.

Before arriving in Evanston, Sullivan built her foundation at Bucknell. After missing the early portion of the 2023-24 season due to injury, she posted ten double-digit scoring games, including seven straight from Feb. 4 to March 2.

She recorded her first career double-double and set a career-high scoring mark against Loyola on Feb. 28. As a freshman in 2022-23, she appeared in 28 games and earned a spot on the Patriot League Honor Roll.

Sullivan’s scoring pedigree traces back to Carmel Catholic, where she was a four-year letter winner and team captain. She earned Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Second Team All-State honors and AP All-State honorable mention recognition. She helped lead Carmel Catholic to a 28-7 record and a state championship as a senior. She finished her high school career as the program’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and blocks.

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