Wins and losses don’t always tell the whole story. Northwestern women’s basketball is sitting at 9-13 this year, with just two Big Ten wins. But last night’s 68-65 loss to No. 14 Maryland and the team’s play over the last month or so have proven that Northwestern is better than its record.
Yesterday’s game against Maryland showcased Northwestern’s young talent and sky-high potential. The Terrapins were on the ropes for the entire second half. The game was tied at 60-60 in crunch time, and Northwestern came a few plays away from winning the game. It was Northwestern’s best game of the season.
Everywhere you look, there’s talent. First-year Lindsey Pulliam drained 8-of-13 shots from the field for 19 points. Junior Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah had another good night, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 boards. More importantly, Northwestern’s defense really had a strong night against a talented Maryland team.
“I thought it was probably one of the hardest-played games of the year for us, physically and mentally. We couldn’t get some key stops late with the game tied,” head coach Joe McKeown said afterward.
Right now, this young Northwestern team cannot seem to get over the hump of winning games. This is Northwestern’s third straight loss and Northwestern’s second three-point loss in three games. The Wildcats cannot finish right now, but someday it’ll have the talent to turn some of these games into wins later down the road. Next year, Pulliam, point guard Jordan Hamilton and Kunaiyi-Akpanah as a senior could prove to be a dangerous big three. The Wildcats are also bringing in another solid recruiting class next season.
Northwestern has another game against a ranked opponent at 2 p.m. on January 28 in Evanston. It should be a fun one.