Feb. 21, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Four Northwestern women's basketball players finished in double figures, but the Wildcats could not hold off Michigan in the final two minutes and lost 63-59 Thursday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. NU falls to 4-22 overall, 0-15 in the Big Ten.
Freshman center Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) blocked her second shot of the game with 23 seconds remaining, giving NU the opportunity to tie or win the game. With time winding down, freshman Melissa Culver (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) gathered a loose ball in the corner and was called for traveling, effectively ending NU's comeback.
Down by nine at the break (35-26), NU came out like gangbusters in the second stanza, outscoring U-of-M 22-8 in the first eight minutes to go ahead 48-43. Kwasinski had the hot hand, hitting NU's first three shots of the half, to spark the comeback. Freshmen Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) and Culver each hit threes during the run while junior Leslie Dolland (Bloomington, Minn./The Blake School) was 2-for-2, with easy layups.
The two teams effectively traded baskets until the 6:45 mark. From that point on, Michigan outscored NU 15-6 to win the game.
Kwasinski led the Wildcats with 13 points while junior Natalie Will scored 11 points and caromed a season-high eight rebounds. Dolland and junior Anya Walker (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) each chipped in 10.
Tonight was senior night and Billee Russell (Sleepy Hollow, Ill./Dundee Crown) played her final home game as a Wildcat.
The 'Cats end the regular season on the road, traveling to Bloomington this Sunday for a 2 p.m. tilt against Indiana.