Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Travel a Mile High to Compete in Denver Classic
12/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. -
NORTHWESTERN (4-4)
vs. Morehead State (5-2)
vs. Denver/Princeton
at Denver Classic
Date/Time: Fri.-Sat., Dec. 20-21, 2002
Site: Denver, Colo./University of Denver
Arena/Capacity:Magness Arena/7,200
Series: vs. Morehead State-First Meeting
vs. Denver-NU leads 1-0
vs. Princeton-NU leads 1-0
Radio/TV: none/none
Internet: none
Rocky Mountain High Northwestern women's basketball team will look to recover from a 56-49 loss to Dayton when it travels to Colorado for the Denver Classic. The trip to Denver will mark the third tournament NU has competed in this season as the Wildcats take on Morehead State, Friday at 6 p.m. CST in the first round. The tournament is being played in the University of Denver's Magness Arena (7,200), with the 'Cats taking on either host Denver or Princeton in Round 2. Game time for the second round is set for 6 or 8 p.m., and will be NU's final game before taking nine days off for the holidays.
Defense is the name of the game in 2002-03, as Northwestern is second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (.350) and third in the league in scoring defense (57.2). From beyond the arc, Wildcat opponents are hitting just 29 percent (43-for-151) and when NU sends them to the line, opponents hit only 65 percent (99-for-152). Morehead State doesn't seem to have any shooting problems so far this season, as the Lady Eagles are shooting 44 percent (191-for-438) from the floor and average 77.0 points per game (ppg).
Leading the MSU offense is junior Kandi Brown, a guard who averages 17.1 ppg and is 20-for-38 (59 percent) from behind the arc. As a matter of fact, the Lady Eagles have four players averaging double figures.
With an emphasis on defense and running a Princeton style offense, NU's 55.1 points per game ranks last in the Big Ten and has just two players averaging double figures. Sophomore center Sarah Kwasinski (13.6) and classmate Samantha McComb (10.5) are NU's two biggest scoring threats, but as of late, Virginia transfer Kristin Ambrose has found her stroke and has put up 31 points in her last two games. Ambrose is NU's third leading scorer at 8.7 ppg and Kwasinski averages a team-high 7.5 rebounds per contest.
Wildcat Quickies
* Sarah Kwasinski, a sophomore, needs 13 points for 500 in her
career.
* Leslie Dolland was voted team captain.
* Eleven of NU's 14 players hail from different states.
* Three of NU's four coaches have head coaching experience.
-Olkowski at Arizona and NU
-Darling at the Air Force Academy
-Grennan at St. Joseph's (Pa.)
* Sue Darling spent two years (1996-97) working for the Seattle
Reign (ABL) as an assistant coach.
* Samantha McComb and Sarah Kwasinski are the only two
Wildcats to start every game this season.
* For the first time in 37 games, NU has two starters averaging
double figures.
Team 'D'
According to the latest Big Ten stats, NU is second to Indiana in field goal percentage defense. IU is holding its opponents to a .329 (160-for-487) field goal percentage while NU's opponents hit .364 (144-for-396) percent of their shots.
Nationwide Charity
According to the national statistics found on ncaa.org, Northwestern was tied for 5th in the country last week in free throw percentage (87-107, .813). But after a 15-for-21 outing against Dayton, the Wildcats are now shooting .797 (102-128) from the charity stripe. That percentage moves NU down to 10th place behind Nichols State (68-for-85, 80.0)
In the 'Steal' of the Night
In the last three games, the Wildcats have tallied 29 steals, an average of 9.7 per game. Prior to that (five games), NU managed just 31 takeaways, a 6.2 per game average.
Bench Points
Two games ago against Southern Illinois, the Northwestern bench scored a season high 30 points and shot an outstanding 71 percent (10-for-14) from the floor. The majority of those points came from sophomore guard Kristin Ambrose, who scored a career-high 19 points. But the bench was nowhere to be found, totaling 14 points in a 56-49 loss to Dayton.
'Turn'ing Over a New Leaf
With eight games played this season, the Wildcats have 135 turnovers, a 16.9 average. That is a 51-turnover improvement from last season. In 2001-02, NU had 186 turnovers (23.3 average) in the same amount of games.
Streaking to a Halt
NU had a three-game win streak snapped on Tuesday afternoon, when Dayton defeated NU 56-49 in front of Northwestern's largest home crowd of the season (2,098).
Tourney Champs
Northwestern's women's basketball team earned its 10th Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational title and the first since 1998 with a 57-43 victory over Alabama-Birmingham at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 7. NU defeated Yale, 54-44, in the first round.
Two-for-Two
Sophomore Sarah Kwasinski has been named to the all-tournament teams at both of NU's nonconference tournaments, the Rutgers Coca-Cola Classic and the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational. The 'Cats will play in its third tournament this weekend (Dec. 20-21) at The University of Denver's Magness Arena (7,200).
Not to be Outdone
With Sarah Kwasinski racking up the all-tournament selections, classmate Samantha McComb should not be forgotten. The Michigan native torched Yale for 19 points in the first round of the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational and was an integral part of the championship-game win, dishing out four assists and collecting one steal. For her efforts, attending media and tournament personnel named her to the all-tournament team.
Block Party
Northwestern sophomore Sarah Kwasinski has 15 blocks so far this season. Those 15 throw-backs leave her four blocks shy of third place on the career blocked shots list. Patricia Babcock (73, 1991-94) is currently third, four ahead of Kwasinski's 69.
Wildcat Athlete's of the Week
Center Sarah Kwasinski and guard Kristin Ambrose have earned Northwestern's Wildcat Athlete of the Week honors the past three weeks for their outstanding contribution on the basketball floor. Kwasinski earned the honor two weeks in a row before Ambrose won last week's honor, torching Southern Illinois for 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. It is Ambrose's first distinction of her career.
Fresh Faces
NU welcomes one fresh face to the program and one semi-new fresh face. The newest member of the Wildcat clan is Ifeoma Okonkwo, who hails from Spring, Texas. Okonkwo has stepped right into the fire, averaging 11.7 minutes in the first eight games. After sitting out the mandatory one year-due to NCAA transfer rules-Kristin Ambrose has hit the hardwood running, averaging 26.0 minutes per game while chipping in 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
A Coke and A Smile
Sophomore Melissa Culver and Sarah Kwasinski each were tabbed All-Classic performers for their play at the Rutgers Coca-Cola Classic in Piscataway, N.J., earlier this season. Culver, a point guard, averaged 10 points per game while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out four assists. Kwasinski, a center, averaged 18 points, 7.5 rebounds and blocked three shots, while scoring a game-high 22 points in a first-round 68-65 victory over Richmond.
Coaching Changes
In the offseason, Cleve Wright took a head coaching job at Gannon College in Pennsylvania and Sheila McMillen left the coaching profession. Enter NU's two new coaching assistants, Sue Darling and Regina Grennan. Following a one-year hiatus, Darling comes to Evanston after spending the previous three years as head coach at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Darling took over the Falcon program as the team and school transitioned itself from an NCAA Division II program to Division I. Grennan found her way to the Wildcat program after serving as an assistant at both Richmond University and St. Joseph's University (Pa.). After spending just one season (1990-91) with the Spiders, Grennan spent the next 10 with the Hawks in Philadelphia. In all, the pair brings almost 30 years of coaching experience to the sideline.
European Travelers
Northwestern was well-represented on last summer's Big Ten Women's Basketball Foreign Tour team. Head coach June Olkowski and assistant Tricie Johnson led the squad to a perfect 5-0 record during the 10-day trip through Holland and Belgium. Senior center Leslie Dolland and sophomore guard Melissa Culver were key contributors for the all-star team. Culver, NU's top three-point shooter a year ago, proved to be one of the All-Stars' biggest three-point threats as well. She drained three treys in the team's final game, a 96-62 win over Meetjesland in Kaprijke, Belgium. Culver finished the trip with a team-best six three-pointers. Dolland, NU's third leading rebounder in 2001-02, was tough on the glass during the tour. She grabbed nine boards against Ekeren, another Belgian club, and averaged 4.8 rebounds per game, second among the All-Stars.
