On Big Ten Network, the No. 21 women's basketball team leads Northwestern 30-21 on the road at halftime. Overcoming a bad start, the Spartans outscored the Wildcats 22-5 over the final 12 minutes of the half.
Junior forward Alex Cohen leads Northwestern with six points.
The Spartans responded with a 22-3 run to take the lead back for good. Powers grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by junior forward Becca Mills and completed the and-1opportunity to narrow the lead to five, 16-11.
Pickrel completed a 3-point play moments later to narrow the Northwestern lead to two. Pickrel left the game after that play with an injury concern, but she checked back in a few minutes later and dished an assist to Hines under the rim, who drew a foul. Hines hit the layup to make it a one-point game, 18-17.
Powers knocked down two free throws to retake the lead, 19-18. Pickrel hit a 3-pointer with under six minutes left to stretch the lead to four. Redshirt freshman guard Branndais Agee went on a personal 4-0 run, hitting a pair of layups but missing a 3-point play opportunity, to make it a 26-18 advantage with 3:57 left in the first half.
After a Northwestern layup, Agee knocked down a jumper off a screen to increase the lead to 30-19 with 3:12 on the clock.
