Northwestern University Athletics
Wednesday, November 5
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
1-0,0-0Big Ten
67
vs
64
IU Indy
1-1,0-0Horizon
1
2
3
4
F
IU Indy
11
12
19
22
64
Northwestern
14
12
20
21
67
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Secures 67-64 Season-Opening Win Over IU Indy
11/5/2025 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sullivan, Thomas post double-doubles as 'Cats put four in double figures
EVANSTON, Ill. (November 5, 2025) — Northwestern rallied late to defeat IU Indy, 67-64, in its 2025-26 opener on Wednesday night in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
"We have a lot to work on, but I was proud of our team," head coach Joe McKeown said. "We did a really good job of closing the game out and not panicking. Some of these games last year, we might have let them slip. This year, we're feeling like we're going to find ways to win these games."
Grace Sullivan led all scorers with 18 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. The performance marked Sullivan's first double-double with the program.
A balanced scoring attack vaulted the Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) to a gutsy victory over the Jaguars (1-1, 0-0 Horizon League). Four 'Cats scored in double figures, with Xamiya Walton tallying 17 points, while Tayla Thomas and Casey Harter turned in 13 apiece, in addition to Sullivan's most prolific output since last season's Jan. 19 clash with Minnesota.
Thomas pulled down 13 rebounds in the winning effort, marking her first-career double-double.
"We have more depth, which is amazing," Sullivan said. "It just shows our versatility. You get a different lineup in every time, shooters on the outside. It's really going to help us overall."
Sullivan and Thomas became the first Wildcat teammates to each post double-doubles since Paige Mott and Caileigh Walsh did so against UIC on November 9, 2023.
Walton, who delivered a clutch triple in the closing seconds, drained a career-high four 3-pointers on nine attempts. The sophomore said she's thrilled to be logging meaningful minutes in crunch-time this season.
"It shows all the work I've put in this offseason," Walton said. "The fact that my teammates have enough trust in me to have me out there in those big moments means a lot."
On the defensive end, Northwestern held IU Indy to a 32.3% field goal percentage. The Jaguars converted just 22% of their shots from beyond the arc.
Following a defense-heavy first quarter, Northwestern led, 14-11. The Wildcats held IU Indy to one make on its final nine shots in the opening frame. The Jaguars went 0-of-6 from 3-point range during the initial 10 minutes of action.
IU Indy began the second quarter on a 5-0 run, but Walton's five quickfire points put the 'Cats back in front. Behind a dominant defensive stretch when NU didn't relent a basket for more than seven minutes, the hosts carried a 26-23 advantage into halftime.
After the break, the Wildcats answered an early third quarter surge from the visitors with an 8-0 run. Northwestern extended the lead to as many as nine points and led by a 46-42 margin entering the final quarter.
While the Wildcats fell into a 58-57 hole late in the fourth quarter, a Walton 3-pointer put Northwestern ahead, 60-58, with less than four minutes to play. But a layup from Destini Craig vaulted the visitors into a 63-62 lead with only 19 seconds remaining.
At the game's grandest moment, Walton rose to the monumental occasion, burying her fourth three of the game to recapture a 65-63 lead.
Although the Jaguars had a trip to the foul line with a chance to tie, Craig split her free throws and Northwestern ultimately secured a 67-64 win.
"One of the goals compared to last year: finishing off these tough games," Sullivan said. "We have a group that wants to push through these moments. We can deal with this adversity. We know we can. We were totally calm out there. We trusted each other."
Northwestern returns to action on Sunday, November 9 for a 2 p.m. CT meeting with SIUE at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Gallery: (11-5-2025) WBB vs. IU Indy
"We have a lot to work on, but I was proud of our team," head coach Joe McKeown said. "We did a really good job of closing the game out and not panicking. Some of these games last year, we might have let them slip. This year, we're feeling like we're going to find ways to win these games."
Grace Sullivan led all scorers with 18 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. The performance marked Sullivan's first double-double with the program.
A balanced scoring attack vaulted the Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) to a gutsy victory over the Jaguars (1-1, 0-0 Horizon League). Four 'Cats scored in double figures, with Xamiya Walton tallying 17 points, while Tayla Thomas and Casey Harter turned in 13 apiece, in addition to Sullivan's most prolific output since last season's Jan. 19 clash with Minnesota.
Thomas pulled down 13 rebounds in the winning effort, marking her first-career double-double.
"We have more depth, which is amazing," Sullivan said. "It just shows our versatility. You get a different lineup in every time, shooters on the outside. It's really going to help us overall."
Sullivan and Thomas became the first Wildcat teammates to each post double-doubles since Paige Mott and Caileigh Walsh did so against UIC on November 9, 2023.
Walton, who delivered a clutch triple in the closing seconds, drained a career-high four 3-pointers on nine attempts. The sophomore said she's thrilled to be logging meaningful minutes in crunch-time this season.
"It shows all the work I've put in this offseason," Walton said. "The fact that my teammates have enough trust in me to have me out there in those big moments means a lot."
On the defensive end, Northwestern held IU Indy to a 32.3% field goal percentage. The Jaguars converted just 22% of their shots from beyond the arc.
Following a defense-heavy first quarter, Northwestern led, 14-11. The Wildcats held IU Indy to one make on its final nine shots in the opening frame. The Jaguars went 0-of-6 from 3-point range during the initial 10 minutes of action.
IU Indy began the second quarter on a 5-0 run, but Walton's five quickfire points put the 'Cats back in front. Behind a dominant defensive stretch when NU didn't relent a basket for more than seven minutes, the hosts carried a 26-23 advantage into halftime.
After the break, the Wildcats answered an early third quarter surge from the visitors with an 8-0 run. Northwestern extended the lead to as many as nine points and led by a 46-42 margin entering the final quarter.
While the Wildcats fell into a 58-57 hole late in the fourth quarter, a Walton 3-pointer put Northwestern ahead, 60-58, with less than four minutes to play. But a layup from Destini Craig vaulted the visitors into a 63-62 lead with only 19 seconds remaining.
At the game's grandest moment, Walton rose to the monumental occasion, burying her fourth three of the game to recapture a 65-63 lead.
Although the Jaguars had a trip to the foul line with a chance to tie, Craig split her free throws and Northwestern ultimately secured a 67-64 win.
"One of the goals compared to last year: finishing off these tough games," Sullivan said. "We have a group that wants to push through these moments. We can deal with this adversity. We know we can. We were totally calm out there. We trusted each other."
Northwestern returns to action on Sunday, November 9 for a 2 p.m. CT meeting with SIUE at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Team Stats
IUIndy
NU
FG%
.323
.409
3FG%
.222
.200
FT%
.667
.533
RB
38
48
TO
14
19
STL
13
4
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballG
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