Northwestern Women's Basketball
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NORTHWESTERN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHICAGO’S BIG TEN TEAM™ #17 NORTHWESTERN (1-0, 0-0) 2020-21 SCHEDULE OVERALL: 1-0 | BIG TEN: 0-0 vs MINNESOTA (1-2, 0-1) HOME: 1-0 | AWAY: 0-0 | NEUTRAL: 0-0 DEC. 14, 2020 » WELSH-RYAN ARENA » EVANSTON, ILL. 12.6 Bradley Canceled 12.10 Eastern Illinois W, 93-57 12.14 Minnesota* 8 p.m. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS VS MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS 12.17 Purdue* TBA 12.22 Eastern Kentucky TBA TALE OF THE TAPE 12.31 Nebraska* TBA 93.0 Points Per Game 68.7 57.0 Points Allowed Per Game 82.7 53.1 Field Goal Percentage 39.2 1.3 Michigan* TBA 39.2 Opponent Field Goal Percentage 45.0 1.6 Wisconsin* TBA 38.5 Three-Point Percentage 31.7 52.6 Opponent Three-Point Percentage 37.3 1.9 Iowa* TBA 35.0 Rebounds Per Game 40.3 1.14 Rutgers* TBA 19.0 Assists Per Game 12.3 @NUWBBall @GopherWBB 1.17 Penn State* TBA 1.21 Illinois* TBA STREAM: Big Ten Network (Lisa Byington, Christy Winters Scott) | RADIO: WNUR Sports | STATS: Sidearm Stats 1.24 Indiana* TBA 1.28 Iowa* TBA THE OPENING TIP 2.1 Ohio State* TBA » The No. 17 Northwestern Wildcats will begin their Big Ten title defense campaign at home against Minnesota 2.7 Michigan State* TBA on Monday at 8 p.m. The ‘Cats are 1-0 after a 93-57 win over Eastern Illinois on Thursday. 2.11 Rutgers* TBA » The 93-point outburst was the most in a game for the ‘Cats since scoring 97 vs. Chicago State in 2018. 2.14 Ohio State* TBA » The ‘Cats displayed their increased propensity to run in game one and racked up gaudy statistics against the 2.17 Nebraska* TBA Panthers in fast break points (20), turnovers forced (24), points in the paint (46) and field goal % (53.1 %) 2.20 Wisconsin TBA » All five starters scored in double-digits, led by a combined 37 points on 14-23 shooting by Lindsey Pulliam 2.25 Illinois* TBA and Veronica Burton, Northwestern’s two preseason All-Big Ten players. 2.28 Maryland* TBA » Sydney Wood and Courtney Shaw demonstrated their increased roles with a career-high in points and field goals attempted for both. 3.5/6 Michigan* TBA » The Wildcats won last year’s lone matchup against Minnesota 56-54 on the road featuring a walk-off winner from Pulliam on an assist from Burton. * CONFERENCE MATCH BOLD indicates home match All times Central NUMBERS TO KNOW QUOTABLES “I think Sydney Wood can play four 2.11 9 16 positions, five positions really. We’re Northwestern ranks second in the With her 18 points Thursday, The Wildcats won a program record gonna have a lot of fun playing small country in assist-to-turnover ratio. Lindsey Pulliam moved from 11th 16 Big Ten games last season as ball this year.” The ‘Cats finished last season with to ninth on the career points list at they captured their first Big Ten the fourth best mark in the country NU. She needs another 33 points to title since 1990. They won their - Joe McKeown (1.51). get to eighth. opener 77-50 vs. Illinois. LAST GAME STARTERS FYI • Northwestern uses the term “first year” to refer to its new student-athletes, abbreviated by “Fy.” • The correct abbreviation for Northwestern is “NU,” not “NW” or “NWU.” •The correct logo for Northwestern is the “Block 5 N.” Please contact Amit Mallik at WOOD PULLIAM BURTON SHAW HAMILTON [email protected] if you 3 SO. • G/F 10 JR. • G 12 SO. • G 15 JR. • F 24 SR. • G are in need. 14.0 p / 7.0 r / 3.0 a / 1.0 b / 5.0 s 18.0 p / 6.0 r / 2.0 a / 0.0 b / 2.0 s 21.0 p / 3.0 r / 6.0 a / 0.0 b / 5.0 s 13.0 p / 7.0 r / 0.0 a / 3.0 b / 1.0 s 11.0 p / 3.0 r / 2.0 a / 0.0 b / 2.0 s- 2020-21 #LockedN LINDSEY LEGEND: Senior Guard Lindsey Pulliam was THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Sydney Wood had her named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year by the hands all over the stat sheet Thursday, scoring 14 points Media. Additionally she was named to three National (tied for a career-high) while adding seven rebounds, five Player of the Year Watchlists (Wade Trophy, Naismith steals and three assists. She set a career-high in FGM (5) Trophy, Wooden Award) and the watch list for best and FGA (10). shooting guard in the country (Ann Meyers Drysdale Award). CATS VS. GOPHERS: Last year, the Wildcats won 56-54 at Minnesota on a walk-off winner from Lindsey SUPERNOVAE: Senior Lindsey Pulliam and junior Pulliam on an assist from Burton. The win snapped a Veronica Burton were both named to the Preseason All- four-game streak for the Gophers in a series currently Big Ten Team. NU was only one of two schools in the Big tied up at 37-37. Ten with two selections to the ten-player list. RECORD ESOTERICA: The ‘Cats are 1-0 at night this RANK THAT: The Wildcats were ranked No. 17 in the season. Last season they were 2-0 on Mondays, 4-2 on first AP Top 25 Poll of the year, and after jumping to No. BTN, 13-1 at night, 13-3 in white and 14-2 at home. 15 last week are back at 17 this week. It is the highest preseason ranking in program history. The ‘Cats finished THE CLIMB, PT. 1: Pulliam officially debuted on the top last year ranked No. 11 in the final AP Poll. ten career scoring list at Northwestern just one game into her senior season. She finished the night in ninth place, 1-0: The Wildcats have come away with a win in their leapfrogging Julie Calahan (1978-81) and Kristina Divjak last 13 season openers. All five starters scored in double- (1995-2000). Pulliam has 1,655 career points and is 33 digits in the balanced 93-57 win over Eastern Illinois. away from Michele Savage (1989-92) in eighth place. WHO RUNS THE WORLD?: The ‘Cats were off to the THE CLIMB, PT. 2: Pulliam entered the season ranked races against the Panthers and displayed the team’s eigth all-time on the NU free throws made list. At 378 in increased focus on transition this year. The ‘Cats forced her career, she is just four away from seventh place and 24 turnovers, scored 20 fast break points and 32 points is close to fifth place at 387, held by Katrina Hannaford off of turnovers. The team scored 46 points in the paint (1993-97). and got to the line 26 times. THE CLIMB, PT. 3: Veronica Burton cracked the top 10 THE STEAL SISTERS: Veronica Burton and Sydney of the all-time steals list at Northwestern just one game Wood claimed five swipes each in the opener. Five steals into her junior season. With five steals she reached 186 a game ranks second in the country. The team recorded for her career, passing Connie Erickson (1981-84). She 16 steals on the whole, giving NU the sixth best average is five away from ninth place and 10 away from eighth in the country. place. With good health (knock on wood), Burton is on pace to finish the season around the ballpark of 270 WATCH LIST? WATCH THIS: Veronica Burton, the steals which would place her second all-time on the list reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, played a as just a junior. nearly perfect game Thursday, totalling 21 points on 8-12 shooting (2-3 from deep) while amassing six assists, five steals, and three rebounds all in just 24 minutes. She was not included on the preseason watch list for the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award. STEP UP SHAW: The Wildcats are expecting a big leap from junior forward Courtney Shaw. The Maryland native averaged four points and three rebounds in just 11 minutes a game last year. In game one, the Maryland native handled a 23 minute workload while tying or setting career highs in points (13), FGM (6), FGA (8) and blocks (3). DIDN’T BREAK A SWEAT: Pulliam averaged 17.5 shots per game in 2019-20, but delivered an efficient 18-point outing against EIU on just 11 shots Thursday. She went 2-5 from deep and added six rebounds. 2 • GAME NOTES 2020-21 @NUWBBall 2019-20 REDUX WOOD CARVING: Sophomore guard Sydney Wood owned the third-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the Big THE AWARDS: Five Wildcats received All-Big Ten Ten last season with a mark of 2.26. Wood protected the selections last year with three returners: Pulliam was a rock exceedingly well against Big Ten defenses, recording unanimous first-team selection. Burton was the Big Ten 60 assists to just 24 turnovers in conference-only play. Defensive Player of the Year, a selection to the Big Ten Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.5 in Big Ten play led the All-Defensive Team, and an All-Big Ten second team field. Wood also ranks fifth in the conference in Big Ten selection. Junior guard Sydney Wood was named All-Big play in steals per game with 2.0. Ten honorable mention by the media. No other Big Ten school returns three All-Big Ten student-athletes.