Northwestern women's basketball team forfeits games due to wildfires

Northwestern's women's basketball team has forfeited two games against UCLA and USC after choosing not to travel to Los Angeles during January's wildfires. The Big Ten Conference confirmed these games will count as losses for Northwestern. Athletics director Mark Jackson supported the team's decision, acknowledging the natural disaster's impact. He accepted the Big Ten's ruling while emphasizing the team's reasoning for not participating. The wildfires affected various sporting events in the Los Angeles area, prompting local teams to donate over $8 million to wildfire relief efforts.