Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Take To The Court
11/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - The new look of the Northwestern Wildcat basketball team will be revealed tonight in the squad's exhibition vs. BK Poprad of the Slovak Republic. The 'Cats -- under first year Head Coach Beth Combs -- will showcase seven returning players from the 2003-04 squad as well as four freshmen.
"We are looking at tonight as a real game," said Combs. "My staff and I are excited about the things we have seen during the preseason and the team is ready to take the court."
Four of the top five scorers from last season return for NU in 2004-05, including senior Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) who led the team last season with 11.2 points per game. The top two rebounders -- Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) and Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill/Fenwick) -- return to the court as well. The duo averaged 5.6 and 5.2 boards per game, respectively.
Senior Suzanne Morrison (Franklin, Mich./Detroit Country Day) returns to the lineup after sitting out last season with an ankle injury. Morrison was the team's leading scorer in the last five games of her sophomore campaign.
Four rookies will have the chance to make their collegiate debut tonight as Wildcats. Kelly Rae Finley (Edina, Minn./The Breck School) and Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School) are no strangers as teammates, as both were integral parts of Breck's Minnesota State championship team in 2004. Finley was a 2004 preseason Street & Smith Honorable Mention All-America as well as a six-year letterwinner and starter. Miller was a 2004 McDonald's All-America (HM) and a three-time letterwinner and starter.
Sara Stutz (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), an All-Stars Girls Report Top 250 selection in 2004, comes to Northwestern from a successful Illinois Hustle AAU team and was a two-time high school captain.
Nazli Senol (Mersin, Turkey/Tarsus American) is the third international player in two years to wear the purple and white. Senol was a member of the Turkish Junior National team and has won one national, four regional, and five city championships with her school and club teams.
The 'Cats will face BK Poprad, a team from the Slovak Republic that has been competing against some of the top collegiate programs during this preseason. Ladislav Stajger is the head coach; Milan Rusnak assists.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Admission to the exhibition is free.
