Northwestern Women’s Basketball Ends Skid With Breakthrough Win Over Rutgers

Northwestern Women’s Basketball Snaps 10-Game Losing Streak With 73-54 Win vs Rutgers

Northwestern Women’s Basketball | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The moment had been building for weeks.

On Sunday afternoon inside Welsh-Ryan Arena, Northwestern women’s basketball finally turned frustration into celebration. With a commanding 73-54 win over Rutgers, the Wildcats snapped a painful ten-game losing streak. That made them earn their first Big Ten victory of the 2025–26 season and reminded everyone that this group still has plenty of fight left.

The Northwestern Wildcats' Trio That Set the Tone

After weeks of close calls and stalled momentum, Northwestern delivered a complete, confident performance. The 19-point win changed the tone of the season.

Knight Night 😼 pic.twitter.com/KSKljfYsHS

— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) January 11, 2026

Northwestern’s turnaround was powered by three standout performances. The one of a kind that blended scoring, leadership, and playmaking. Junior guard Casey Harter led all scorers with 21 points, attacking the basket and calmly converting at the free-throw line. Senior forward Grace Sullivan followed closely with 20 points.

At the center of everything was senior guard Caroline Lau. Already the NCAA leader in assists per game entering the contest, Lau delivered one of the most impressive performances of her career and one of the best in program history.

Lau flirted with a triple-double and finished the afternoon with 12 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high 16 assists. Those 16 assists tied Nancy Kennelly’s long-standing Northwestern single-game record.

By halftime, Lau already had eight assists, setting the tone with her vision and tempo control. She was the engine Rutgers simply could not slow down.

Weathering the Early Storm

The game did not start smoothly for Northwestern. Rutgers opened with a 6-0 run, capitalizing on early turnovers as Faith Blackstone and Lauryn Swann sparked the Scarlet Knights. Despite the shaky opening, the Wildcats stayed composed and trailed by just four points at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter changed everything. Northwestern outscored Rutgers 24-12 in the period, turning defense into offense and energy into momentum. Freshman guard Amparo Lopez provided an immediate spark off the bench. She drilled the first three-pointer of her collegiate career. That shot ignited a 13-0 run that flipped the game. When Grace Sullivan knocked down a turnaround jumper with four minutes left in the half, Northwestern had seized control and never looked back.

While the offense flowed, Northwestern’s defense quietly dominated. Rutgers relied heavily on free throws for scoring, with Blackstone, Nene Ndiaye, Lauryn Swann, and Zachara Perkins carrying the load. The Wildcats’ high press forced rushed decisions and turnovers, leading to extended scoring droughts. That included seven minutes in the fourth quarter without a made field goal from open play.

Northwestern remained steady throughout the second half, keeping the lead near 20 points. Harter finished 7-for-8 at the line, and Sullivan continued to produce despite constant double teams. The final 73-54 score reflected total control.

The win carries deep significance for head coach Joe McKeown. The last time Northwestern endured a double-digit losing streak was in 2008, the year before he took over the program. Now in his final season after 18 years on the sideline, this victory stands as a reminder of the resilience he has built.

With the skid finally over, Northwestern turns the page and looks ahead to Wisconsin on Thursday, Jan. 15, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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