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Northwestern 59, No. 21/20 Nebraska 51 Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, Ill. Box Score | Box Score  Photo Gallery 
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By Kalyn Kahler, Northwestern Athletics
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern extended its February winning streak to six games Wednesday night by defeating No. 20/21 Nebraska, 59-51 at Welsh Ryan Arena for their third victory of the season over a top-25 foe.
For the first time under head coach Joe McKeown, and the first time overall since 1995-96, Northwestern has won at least 20 games in a season. The victory over the Huskers also marks the first time since the 1992-93 campaign that the Wildcats won at least 10 games in Big Ten play (13).
Several Wildcats were instrumental in knocking off Nebraska at home for the second year in a row. Sophomore forward Nia Coffey registered her sixth consecutive double-double behind 17 points and 14 rebounds, while senior Karly Roser just missed fourth career double-double. The guard netted 10 points and added nine rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end. She handed out five assists and added a pair of steals in 32 minutes of action. Lauren chipped in with 15 points, her highest output since Dec. 21 when she scored 17 at Arizona State.
Chicago's Big Ten Team dominated early against a cold-shooting Nebraska squad. Roser entered the night with only three career 3-point baskets heading, but that didn't stop her from finding some space immediately following tip to give her team the lead. The senior guard later hustled back on defense and found the ball again, taking advantage of a Nebraska turnover. She charged forward and found Maggie Lyon for another 3-pointer that set the tone for the rest of the game characterized by aggressive defense and smart shooting. Roser sparked a 15-2 scoring run for the 'Cats to open play.
Northwestern led by as much as 19 points in the first half, while holding Nebraska to just 12 points, the Husker's lowest first half point total this season. Northwestern shot well in the first half, converting at a clip of 40.6 percent, while Nebraska's shooting performance was as cold as the single-digit weather outside Welsh Ryan Arena, the nationally-ranked Huskers shot at just 10.7 percent (3-of-28) in the first half. At halftime Northwestern owned a comfortable 29-12 lead.
The Wildcats owned both sides of the ball Wednesday night, and stifled the Huskers on defense, forcing 10 turnovers in the first half alone and 16 total for the game. NU held Nebraska to a shooting at a clip of 29.2 overall for the game, the defense's best performance against a conference opponent this season since holding Minnesota to 29.3 percent shooting on Feb. 1. It didn't help the Huskers cause that Coffey picked up four of NU's eight blocked shots, while Ashley Deary picked up a game-high three steals.
Northwestern eventually took a 24-point lead, their largest of the game, after a steal and layup by Coffey with 14:03 to go, but Nebraska hung around in the second half, cutting the margin lead to just eight points at 46-38 with four minutes remaining in the game.
The 'Cats responded with gusto and Ashley Deary hit a shot from the baseline to send the lead back to double-digits with 3:44 to go. Coffey blocked her third shot of the game, but Northwestern couldn't come up with the ball and Nebraska's Tear'a Laudermill converted two foul shots off to stay uncomfortably close at 48-40. The Huskers crept even closer still with a Laudermill layup that cut the home team's lead to just six, the closest margin of the game, with 2:05 left.
The teams scored back-and-forth until Douglas made a clutch 3-point shot from the left corner to put the 'Cats back up, 53-44. Nebraska responded with a 3-point basket of their own with 47 seconds left to come within six points again. Forced to foul to try and extend the game, Nebraska hacked three Northwestern players in the last minute, but Coffey, Deary and Douglas were perfect on all six foul shots to seal the game for Northwestern.
Deary finished with 10 points and five assists to go along with her three steals. Lyon added seven, including a first-half 3-pointer that extended her streak to 31 consecutive games with at least one make form beyond the arc.
Northwestern improved to 18-1 this season when leading at the half. They also moved to 10-0 when holding the opponent under 35 percent from the field and 15-0 when limiting teams to less than 70 points.
Northwestern returns to action Sunday, Feb. 22 when they travel to Madison, Wis., to face off against Wisconsin at 3 p.m. The Wildcats won the first meeting between the two teams on New Year's Day in Evanston, 68-47.
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