Editor’s note: Each week, WNUR Sports recaps the news and results from the in-season, non-revenue teams that we cover in order to help our listeners and readers stay connected to the pulse of Northwestern athletics. For football coverage, check out this week’s edition of the Moving the Chains podcast here. Teams are discussed in alphabetical order.

By Ben Moskow

Women’s Basketball:

12/5: LOSS at No. 20 DePaul

This game had some eerie parallels to the time the Northwestern Women’s Basketball faced DePaul a year ago. Both games featured Northwestern jumping out to a strong early lead and ended with a lopsided result in DePaul’s favor.

This one was a game of extremes for the Wildcats, as they scored more points in the first quarter than in the next three quarters. In the first quarter, the ‘Cats out-shot the Blue Demons 78.9 percent to 29.4 percent. DePaul soon flipped the script though, outscoring Northwestern 60-28 over the final 30 minutes. An injury to star forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah knocked her out of the game just 29 seconds in, which spelled trouble for Northwestern in the later quarters.

It was clear that DePaul was locked in after the first quarter, as they held the Wildcats to just three points in the second, DePaul’s best defensive performance in any quarter this season.

There were some bright spots for Northwestern in this one, though. With Kunaiyi-Akpanah out for most of the game, Abbie Wolf saw major minutes and responded with eight points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Hamilton also made the most of her 38 minutes on the floor, scoring 20 points including 4-7 from behind the arc.

Northwestern struggled to deal with DePaul’s multiple scoring options, as four Blue Demons had at least 12 points. Guard Kelly Campbell was also a problem for the Wildcats, contributing seven points and five each of rebounds, assists and steals. 

12/9: LOSS vs. No. 18 Marquette

Kunaiyi-Akpanah returned with a vengeance in this one, ripping down 15 rebounds along with 14 points. Yet it wasn’t enough to stop Marquette, who controlled the game for all four quarters.

With the game knotted at nine apiece, the Golden Eagles closed the first quarter on a 16-0 run and never looked back. Marquette shot 64.7 percent from the field in the first half as opposed to Northwestern’s 25 percent. The Wildcats were able to cut the deficit to four at the half and actually tied the score in the third quarter, but a 10-0 Marquette run put the ‘Cats away for good.

Coach McKeown relied heavily on his starters in this one, as Sydney Wood was the only reserve to play more than 10 minutes and contributed one of the Wildcats’ meager five bench points. Lindsey Pulliam led the way for Northwestern with 15 points but again struggled from the field, going 5-for-19.

Marquette’s top scoring threat Allazia Blockton tormented the Wildcats all afternoon in a 21-point outing while claiming her title as the all-time Marquette Women’s Basketball leading scorer. The ‘Cats will look to put a stop to their three-game losing streak against Chicago State on December 17.