Mott’s numbers may not have been eye-popping, but her impact was surely felt.
Stats
2023-24 Statistics: 26.1 minutes per game, 8.0 points per game, 1.8 assists per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, 46.3% FG, 0.0% 3PT, 72.1% FT
In her senior season, Paige Mott definitely stepped up her role on the court as a leader of the Wildcats, but statistically, her numbers didn’t jump quite as much as expected, with the only significant categorical rise coming in free throw shooting percentage.
The Philadelphia native’s season was ultimately defined by some really high highs, albeit with some lows. Mott put up 10 or more points in 12 games this season – in which the ‘Cats went 7-5 – and looked like a dominant post player who could complement the perimeter-focused scoring of teammates like Caileigh Walsh and Melannie Daley. But she was also unreliable offensively in a similar manner, with 9 games scoring 5 points or less, in which Northwestern was winless.
Nevertheless, head coach Joe McKeown relied on Mott’s production fairly highly, inserting her for a career-high 26.1 minutes per game this past season.
Shot Distribution
From CBB Analytics:
On the whole, Mott’s biggest area of strength was her inside game. Mott was far and away best when finishing around the basket, and she knew it, too: over half of her shots came from within the inner circle around the hoop. Unfortunately, not much production came from her outside of that, shooting under 35% from every other area of the court, save for the 3-for-6 stat line from the left elbow. Still, the forward was one of the team’s most efficient scorers, almost always taking quality shots in her final season with the Wildcats.
The Good
When looking at the larger season for the Wildcats, Paige Mott served as an essential core to the roster – the third-leading scorer, second-leading rebounder, and the top blocker on the team – and thus was without a doubt a spotlight for McKeown and company during an otherwise disappointing season.
Among her best stretches for the Wildcats was a four-game stretch during mid-December. The ‘Cats went on a hot streak, winning three of four, and Mott posted extremely efficient numbers: she averaged 13.0 points per game on a whopping 75.9% shooting from the field.
Mott was also a desperately needed centerpiece in the lineup and delivered as such. She played over 30 minutes relatively consistently and thus was third in minutes per game throughout, trailing only two well-conditioned guards in Daley and Caroline Lau.
Bad
Though nothing stood out specifically as a concern for Mott at any point in the season, it is clear she never exactly lived up to the expectations many fans had before the season’s beginning, especially considering the potential she showed in her junior year.
The main disappointment for Mott came from a lack of a notable jump in statistical numbers, as a void in consistent offensive production going into the year should have ideally allowed her to make the most of the skill she had previously displayed. Similarly, considering the overwhelming amount of shots that Mott took so close to the basket, a mere 46.3% field goal shooting is not all that impressive. Ideally, Mott could have been more offensively consistent and productive as such an integral part of the squad.
Bottom Line
Looking across the season in its entirety, it’s important to recognize the overall admirable and well-established impact Paige Mott had the opportunity to make, both as a vocal leader guiding the younger players of the team, while still being a reliable option for the coaching staff to look upon when the game was going down to the wire.
Yet, a 9-21 season for the women’s basketball team is evidence enough that no matter what Mott’s impact might have been, it would not be enough to merit a serious positive impact on a large-scale level, specifically when it came down to earning a win.
Mott’s impact can still be seen as an impactful voice that will positively mold future Wildcats for the coming seasons. Emulating the player Mott represented – both on and off the court – will be crucial to mimicking the success Northwestern’s women’s basketball is capable of experiencing and has experienced in years past.