Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Travel to No. 21 Iowa
1/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Although the Hawkeyes enter Sunday's contest with Northwestern ranked No. 21 in the country, the 2 p.m. tip at Carver-Hawkeye Arena will feature a pair of squads which entered Big Ten play on a roll before stumbling through the first part of the conference slate.
Iowa entered the Big Ten season with a perfect 11-0 record and--after winning its first two conference games--were the nation's last remaining unbeaten squad. Since, the Hawkeyes have dropped three in a row to Penn State (77-71), Michigan State (68-56) and Ohio State (80-57).
Northwestern entered Big Ten play after taking third at the San Juan Shootout with a 2-1 record. The Wildcats are currently 1-4 in the conference and will be taking on their second ranked league opponent on the road this season.
NU last played at Indiana, falling to the Hoosiers, 53-42. In the game, junior Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) scored 13 points to lead the 'Cats and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for Northwestern's first double-double of the season. It was the third career double-double for Okonkwo, who had two last year.
The Wildcats shot well in the first half against IU, hitting 10 of their 19 shots to take a 24-21 lead into the locker room. NU was previously 3-1 in games in which it held the lead at the half. The Wildcats came out to fire just 20 percent on 6-of-29 shooting in the second period of play.
Senior Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick), playing on her 22nd birthday, scored 11 points for NU and continues to lead the Wildcats with 12.3 points per game. Okonkwo is now averaging 11.1.
Crystal Smith (16.6), Jamie Cavey (15.5) and Johanna Solverson (12.5) all score in double-digits per game for Iowa while Krista VandeVenter leads the Hawkeyes with 7.6 rebounds per contest.
Iowa has failed to reach 60 points in each of its last two losses. Cavey led the Hawkeyes in both scoring and rebounding in both of those games.
Looking Ahead
Northwestern concludes its current road trip after a week off with a 1 p.m. CT tip on Jan. 23 at Ohio State. The Wildcats then return home to host Penn State at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27 before Purdue comes to town for a 2 p.m. game on Jan. 30.
The Series
All-Time Record: Iowa leads, 33-12
Last Meeting: 76-61, Iowa (Jan. 29, 2004)
Series Streak: 7, Iowa
