Northwestern Women’s Basketball vs Ohio State: How to Watch, TV Channel & Stream

The Northwestern Wildcats are opening their 18-game Big Ten Conference journey on Sunday afternoon, December 7. They are about to have a showdown against the No. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes at Welsh-Ryan Arena. This matchup launches conference play and renews a long-running rivalry in its 71st chapter. Ohio State leads the all-time series 49–21 and has claimed the last five meetings. However, Northwestern enters determined to defend its home floor and make an early-season statement.

Northwestern Women's Basketball Backcourt Brilliance Takes Center Stage

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT), and fans can tune in nationally on the Big Ten Network. Chris Vosters will be on the call with Sydney Parrish providing analysis. For those who prefer to stream, the game will be available via Fubo. Meanwhile, in-person fans can purchase seats through SI Tickets.

B1G Day 😤

🆚 #23 Ohio State
⏰ 1 p.m. CT
📍 Welsh-Ryan Arena
📺 @BigTenNetwork
💻 https://t.co/nRK3RtCZX3
📊 https://t.co/8TsFEgScYu
🎟️ https://t.co/y56puyENue pic.twitter.com/pgicdux87H
— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) December 7, 2025

Northwestern carries a 6–2 record into the Big Ten opener and looks to rebound after its first home loss of the season, a 74–62 setback against Kansas. Despite the defeat, the Wildcats once again showcased the elite production of their star duo.

Grace Sullivan continued her offensive tear with her fifth straight 20-point outing, pouring in 24 points to go with six rebounds, three steals, and a block. Sullivan enters this matchup averaging 22.8 points per game, placing her third in the Big Ten and 10th in the nation.

Caroline Lau continues to set the tone as one of college basketball’s premier point guards. She handed out 10 assists against Kansas, lifting herself to seventh all-time in Northwestern history. Lau leads the entire NCAA in assists per game at 8.9. And she has recorded eight or more in seven games so far, solidifying her spot as the engine of the Wildcats’ offense.

Inside, forward Tayla Thomas continues to control the glass. She finished with nine points and 11 rebounds against Kansas, marking her sixth game with double-digit rebounds this season. As a team, Northwestern averages 68.5 points per game and allows 65.9. That also gave them a narrow scoring margin of +2.6. They are shooting 28.4% from three, averaging 5.8 makes from beyond the arc, while opponents are knocking down 6.1 threes on 30.2% shooting.

Ohio State Brings One of the Nation’s Best Offenses

Ohio State heads into Evanston with a 6–1 record and a four-game win streak since its lone loss of the season, a 100–68 defeat against No. 1 UConn. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s squad is building off last year’s 26–7 campaign that ended in the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round.

The Buckeyes boast one of the most explosive offenses in the country, ranking 11th nationally with an impressive 87.9 points per game. Jaloni Cambridge leads the way after earning unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman. She enters the matchup averaging 19.9 points, placing her among the top scorers in the conference.

Senior guard Chance Gray has been a steady threat, averaging 13.7 points and leading Ohio State with 14 made three-pointers. The Buckeyes lean heavily on their perimeter game, attempting a Big Ten-high 26.6 threes per contest.

Historically, the Big Ten opener has not favored Northwestern. The Wildcats are 6–11 in conference debuts since Joe McKeown took over in 2008–09. Sunday presents an opportunity to flip the script and start their Big Ten slate with a significant ranked win.

Once this matchup concludes, Northwestern will pause for final exams before traveling west to face Utah on December 14 at 3 p.m. CT.

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