In what was the closest game it’s played against Illinois since any current assistant coach arrived in Evanston, Northwestern women’s basketball (13-5, 11-5 B1G) earned its 12th straight victory against the Fighting Illini and, in the process, likely kept themselves off the NCAA Tournament bubble.
But as the six-point final margin against the worst team in the conference indicates, the Wildcats are playing far from their best basketball. After an eight-game stretch in the middle of conference play in which NU won seven games, including four against presumptive Tournament teams (Ohio State would be a lock it if not for its postseason ban), Northwestern has struggled to a 2-2 record in its past four.