Northwestern Women’s Basketball Drops Decision to Nebraska in Big Ten Play
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Northwestern women’s basketball faced a demanding road challenge on Wednesday night. They fell 89-73 to Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena in a high-paced Big Ten matchup. The Wildcats dropped to 8-13 overall and 2-8 in conference play. On the other hand, the Cornhuskers improved to 16-5 and 5-5 in the Big Ten. The result marked Nebraska’s eighth straight victory over Northwestern. Despite several strong individual performances and a major career milestone.
Standout Performances Power Northwestern’s Effort
Northwestern’s offense found balance even in defeat, led by Grace Sullivan and Tayla Thomas. Sullivan finished with 19 points, while Thomas added 16, continuing to anchor the Wildcats on the offensive end. Caroline Lau and Casey Harter also reached double figures, giving Northwestern four scorers in double digits on the night.
FINAL | Nebraska 89, Northwestern 73
— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) January 29, 2026
'Cats continue their road trip at Indiana on Sunday, February 1.
Nebraska, however, had the most dominant individual performance on the floor. Britt Prince delivered a complete outing with 28 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Nebraska shot 52.6 percent from the field, an impressive 52.4 percent from three-point range, and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Those numbers ultimately separated the two teams.
One of the night’s most meaningful moments came early in the first quarter when senior Grace Sullivan surpassed 1,000 career points. She opened the scoring for Northwestern with a turnaround jumper before later converting a pair of free throws that officially pushed her past the milestone.
Both teams came out with energy, trading baskets during the opening minutes. Casey Harter and Tayla Thomas combined for three early scores, keeping Northwestern within reach as the score sat at 12-10 at the first media timeout.
Nebraska began to gain separation late in the quarter by capitalizing at the free-throw line, while Northwestern battled early foul trouble. Sullivan and Lau each picked up two fouls before the end of the period. The quarter ended on a tough note for the Wildcats when Eliza Maupin found Logan Nissley on the break, and Nissley connected on a half-court shot at the buzzer to give Nebraska a 28-17 lead.
What was Their for Northwestern
The Cornhuskers extended their advantage to as many as 18 points early in the second quarter, forcing a timeout from head coach Joe McKeown. Northwestern responded with resilience. Harter drilled a deep three-pointer from the wing and followed with a floater in the lane. Sullivan added a post jumper to trim the deficit to 11.
Late in the half, Xamiya Walton provided a spark with a layup, a three-pointer, and a steal that led to a Tayla Thomas transition basket. Northwestern closed the half on an 18-11 run over the final 7:39, but still trailed 47-36 at the break.
Northwestern opened the third quarter with renewed defensive energy and converted open looks from Walton and Lau. Lau’s strong drive through traffic cut the Nebraska lead to 10 midway through the period.
Each Northwestern surge was met with an immediate response. Logan Nissley knocked down two late three-pointers to push the lead back to 14, sending Nebraska into the fourth quarter ahead 69-55.
Foul trouble returned to haunt the Wildcats early in the fourth, as Sullivan picked up her fourth foul with 8:50 remaining. Prince took control down the stretch, scoring efficiently as Nebraska widened the margin. Harter and Lau continued to compete, including a late three from Harter, but the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Northwestern continues its Big Ten road swing on Sunday, February 1, traveling to Bloomington for a 1:00 p.m. CT matchup against Indiana.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.