Northwestern Women's Basketball Shows Fight but Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Indiana

Slow start costs Northwestern Women's Basketball in hard-fought loss to Indiana

Northwestern Women's Basketball | Rich Janzaruk/Herald Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two very different halves told the story Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall right in front of the Wildcats' fans. Northwestern women’s basketball weathered an opening-quarter storm and responded with grit and urgency. That just showed real fight down the stretch. However, the early damage proved too much to overcome in an 89–75 loss to Indiana.

Northwestern's Grace Sullivan Delivers a Career Night

The result snapped Indiana’s nine-game losing streak and moved the Hoosiers to 12–11 overall and 1–10 in Big Ten play. Northwestern, now 8–14 overall and 2–9 in conference action, dropped its fourth straight game. Despite that, Bloomington has clear signs of progress despite the setback.

FINAL | Indiana 89, Northwestern 75

'Cats are back home on Thursday at 8 p.m. CT to host USC on @BigTenNetwork.

— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) February 1, 2026

The unquestioned highlight of the afternoon belonged to Grace Sullivan. The senior forward turned in a historic performance, pouring in 35 points on 15-of-28 shooting. It marked her fourth 30-point outing of the season and reinforced her role as the focal point of Northwestern’s offense.

Sullivan opened the game 0-for-6 from the field during Northwestern’s disastrous first quarter, yet never lost confidence. As the game settled, Sullivan attacked the paint, scored through contact, and found her rhythm in the midrange. Shot after shot, she carried the Wildcats back into contention and refused to let the early struggles define the outcome.

While Northwestern’s effort over the final three quarters was commendable, the game was ultimately shaped by one brutal opening stretch. The Wildcats endured their most lopsided quarter of the season. That just made one field goal on 17 attempts for a 5.9 percent shooting mark.

The Hoosiers shot 13-of-16 from the floor, good for 81 percent, and closed the quarter on a stunning 28–0 run to build a 30–3 lead. The rebounding gap was equally stark, with Indiana holding a 15–4 advantage in the opening frame. Although Northwestern regrouped and shot 42 percent the rest of the way, the early 27-point deficit set a nearly impossible hill to climb.

Press Defense Fuels a Second-Half Push

Head coach Joe McKeown adjusted quickly, leaning into an aggressive full-court press that nearly flipped the game’s momentum. Northwestern’s pressure defense rattled Indiana’s ball handlers. They forced 10 second-half turnovers and created transition opportunities that had been missing early.

Caroline Lau was at the heart of that surge. Lau finished with 10 points and eight assists, but her impact went far beyond the box score. She recorded a career-high five steals, disrupting Indiana’s flow and igniting Northwestern’s energy. Behind that defensive spark, the Wildcats outscored the Hoosiers 49–45 across the second and third quarters combined.

Despite Northwestern cutting the deficit to as few as 10 points in the fourth quarter, Indiana consistently had answers. The Hoosiers maintained their efficiency, finishing the game shooting 58.6 percent from the field and winning the rebounding battle 38–27.

Each time Northwestern threatened, timely baskets and second-chance opportunities stalled the comeback. The loss stings, but the response after the opening-quarter collapse provides a blueprint for growth.

The Wildcats return home to Welsh-Ryan Arena for a marquee matchup against USC on Thursday, Feb. 5. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. CT.

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