Northwestern Lady Wildcats Tip Off Season-Opening Three-Game Homestand Against Jaguars

The excitement is building in Evanston as Northwestern officially tips off its 2025–26 women’s basketball season this Wednesday evening. The Wildcats will host IU Indy at Welsh-Ryan Arena, with the matchup set to begin at 7 p.m. CT. This game marks the start of a three-game homestand to open the new campaign. And the Wildcats are coming in with momentum after a dominant exhibition performance.

Last Time Out Is About to Showcase Exhibition Dominance

Northwestern looked sharp in its exhibition tune-up this past Saturday, cruising to an 82–49 win over Lewis at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The victory showcased the team’s balance and intensity on both ends of the court, with multiple players stepping up in impressive fashion.

Opening Act 🎬

🆚 IU Indy
📅 November 5
⏰ 7 p.m. CT
🎟️ https://t.co/rLWxqYU9Qj pic.twitter.com/MVhj7gnuOK
— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) November 4, 2025

Grace Sullivan stole the show with a game-high 23 points, hitting 9-of-16 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. She also contributed five rebounds, five blocks, and a steal, proving to be a force on both ends.

Tayla Thomas recorded a strong double-double, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, a block, and a steal. On the other hand, Tate Lash added 10 points along with five assists and two steals. Caroline Lau was the steady hand in the backcourt. She dished out a game-high nine assists to go with five points and six rebounds. That just gave Northwestern a complete team effort heading into the regular season.

Let's Look Over The Series History and Home Strength

The Wildcats’ first opponent, IU Indy, opened its season on a high note earlier this week. The Jaguars edged Indiana State 67–64 in their opener Monday in Indianapolis. It will be under fourth-year head coach Kate Bruce.

IU Indy was projected to finish 10th in the Horizon League’s preseason poll after a 9–21 campaign last year. However, this year’s squad features an infusion of new talent, with 10 newcomers joining five returning letterwinners.

Hailey Smith, a Ball State transfer, led the Jaguars with 15 points in their win. Meanwhile, returning scorer Neveah Foster added 13. Destini Craig chipped in 12 points, and Ariana Williams anchored the frontcourt with 11 rebounds.

IU Indy made its mark on the glass, outrebounding Indiana State by 10 and dominating second-chance points 17–5. And this will be a major factor that Northwestern will look to counter with its own strong interior play.

This matchup marks only the third all-time meeting between Northwestern and IU Indy. The Wildcats won both prior contests during the 2013–14 season. That included an 88–52 blowout in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

Under longtime head coach Joe McKeown, Northwestern has made a habit of starting strong. That boasted a 14–3 record in season openers and a remarkable 15–2 mark in home openers since 2008. Following Wednesday’s opener, Northwestern will continue its homestand on Sunday, November 9, hosting SIUE at 2 p.m. CT.

Stay up to date on the Wildcats by bookmarking Northwestern On SI.