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A win is a win: Northwestern ekes out a 64-60 victory over Milwaukee to open its season
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- A win is a win: Northwestern ekes out a 64-60 victory over Milwaukee to open its season
Northwestern trailed 18-15 after the first quarter. It trailed 30-28 after the second. It trailed 46-43 after the third. For a majority of its matchup against Milwaukee, Northwestern women's basketball looked like the inferior team.
However, none of that matters.
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The only two things that do truly matter are the one in the 'Cats' win column and the zero in their loss column. Regardless of how ugly things looked, the Wildcats are still perfect on the year; head coach Carla Berube is still undefeated as conductor of Northwestern women's basketball.
"It's so much better to come out with a victory," Berube said in the post-game press conference. "I'm not sure that was our best, but there's a lot to learn from and a lot to look forward to."
NU ground out a 64-60 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday, and its performance had better be far from its best if it plans to exceed expectations in year one of the Berube era. The game featured several moments that left the Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd on the edge of their seats as the unwanted Horizon League scare aroused trauma like that of Halloween night.
Milwaukee's 1-3-1 defensive zone was Northwestern's Frankenstein. The Wildcats struggled to penetrate the defense and, especially in the first half, settled for several contested threes as the shot clock expired. Northwestern had nine turnovers in the first half and 13 in the game, six contributed by junior Boston College transfer Lily Carmody. The 'Cats shot under 50% from the field and 33% from three, seeming unprepared for the unique defense of the Panthers.
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"I think obviously there were some first-game jitters as we were figuring it out," Carmody said at the post-game press conference. "The coaching staff helps a lot. Just talking through where I need to be, where others need to be, and being patient with myself and not rushing is really vital."
Northwestern's defense was also an issue throughout the game. Milwaukee abused its size advantage early on, pouring in double digit points in the paint in the first quarter, which opened up its shooters later on. The Panthers shot 64% from three, including Rita Gomes going 6-for-6 from beyond the arc.
"We weren't quite on the same page with each other," Berube said about the defensive miscues. "I think there's going to be a decent film session tomorrow to correct some of the things we saw."
That film session will show an abundance of bad. Northwestern's performance was far from perfect. It struggled in nearly every aspect of the game and was outplayed by a roster with significantly less talent.
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However, that film session will also show the grit of the Wildcats. Due to a multitude of injuries, the 'Cats had 10 active players on the night, with only seven touching the floor. NU scraped and nailed all game long; it did what it had to do to survive and advance.
Look at Carmody as evidence of this. She had five points and four turnovers in the first half; yet, her second half costume was that of Superman. Carmody became Northwestern's alpha down the stretch and ended the game with a team-high 21 points. She made nine free throws and had six assists and five rebounds during her 37 minutes on the court.
"We read the defense really well and finally figured out where the ball needed to be and where the mismatches were," Carmody said about the NU's late-game offense. "We just did a really good job of relying on our offense."
Another hero of the attack was Jasmyn Cooper-Derba, who finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Cooper-Derba made three clutch bombs from deep in the game, frequently coming up with big offensive plays when the 'Cats needed them the most.
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As NU lacks size at nearly every position on the court, the 6-foot-1 Cooper-Derba played center for a majority of the game. Yet, her tenacity and hunger for the ball reflected a broader frame than reality. Cooper-Derba said that, moving forward, preparation will be the key to limiting the disadvantages of her smaller height.
"Just outworking and out-toughing the opposition," she said, were keys for her this season. "You know you're undersized, so you have to stay disciplined and trust your defensive foundation."
That defensive foundation, however, remains a work in progress. Berube and her players are still adjusting to one another, and that showed in an ugly win over Milwaukee. But, as they say, "A win's a win." Northwestern is 1-0 on the year and will take that perfect record into its matchup against Xavier on Thursday.
"I can't wait for more games in [Welsh-Ryan Arena]," Berube said. "I love the atmosphere. I love the environment. I love all the people, and I love being on the sideline with this team."
