Northwestern women’s basketball player review: Grace Sullivan

Grace Sullivan took the torch passed down by former Northwestern frontcourt members Caileigh Walsh and Taylor Williams and stood out as a silver-lining pillar in her senior year.

Last season, Sullivan reached her peak while starting 28 games, averaging 21.4 points and 6.1 rebounds. Her scoring ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 13th nationally. Despite another disappointing season record-wise, which concluded with former head coach Joe McKeown stepping down, Sullivan left her “Amazing Grace” mark with a career-best year before graduation. Sullivan’s NU story includes seeking out high-major competition and transforming into one of the conference’s elites, something Wildcat Nation will remember for years.

Here’s my review of Sullivan’s senior season.

The Good

All season long, Sullivan provided reliable efficiency to an otherwise up-and-down Northwestern team. She became a consistent threat to opponents due to her dominance in the post. This dominance wasn’t because her physicality broke down defenses in the paint; rather, it was her incredible shot-making and finesse. Mostly, she executed what she was confident in —midrange fadeaways.

Thanks to her high release point, Sullivan became virtually unguardable in making midrange shots unless facing double teams. Per CBB Analytics, Sullivan posted 20.6 two-point shots per 40 minutes with a field goal percentage of 53.0%. She was also a Big Ten frontrunner with a 31.3% usage rate versus a 56.1% true shooting percentage. Sullivan led the team in free-throw attempts with 487 and shot 77.6% from the charity stripe.

Beyond her scoring dominance, Sullivan’s defense deserves credit. At 6-foot-4, Sullivan often paired with 6-foot-4 Tayla Thomas to anchor both ends of the paint. Sullivan contributed a career-high 0.8 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Her ability to run the floor both ways allowed her to take advantage of fastbreak opportunities and turn opponent turnovers into layups.

Sullivan’s relentless motor kept Northwestern competitive in games where the talent gap appeared insurmountable. She consistently showed a willingness to battle on the glass, averaging 6.1 rebounds despite facing taller, more physical opponents. Meanwhile, she provided consistent production night after night, reaching double-digit scoring in every game in which she played at least ten minutes.