Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Welcome No. 15 Minnesota in Final Regular-Season Game
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 25, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will close the 2004-05 conference regular season the same way they began it--pitted against against Minnesota. The Wildcats will host the No. 15 team in the country on Sunday, in what will be the final contest at Welsh-Ryan for four seniors--Suzanne Morrison, Samantha McComb, Sarah Kwasinski and Melissa Culver. Tip is set for 2 p.m. CT.
Last Time Out
Trailing by 20 points midway through the second half, Northwestern mounted a furious comeback Wednesday night at the Kohl Center, falling just short in a 70-63 loss to Wisconsin.
With the hosts leading 53-33 and 9:44 remaining in the game, NU turned up the heat defensively to make the Badger faithful sweat.
A jumper from freshman Sara Stutz (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) kicked off a 21-7 Wildcat run over the next seven minutes. Sophomore A.J. Glasauer (Freiburg, Germany/Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium) contributed eight points to the run -- including six straight at one point -- while senior Melissa Culver (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) poured in five and junior Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) had four. Senior Suzanne Morrison (Franklin, Mich./Detroit Country Day) hit a layup with 2:07 left to draw NU to within six at 60-54.
Jolene Anderson then hit a 3-ball to put a dagger in NU's comeback hopes, and Wisconsin iced the game by hitting 5-of-8 free throws down the stretch.
The Wildcats forced seven of Wisconsin's 16 turnovers in the final 7:44 of the game. NU committed just 14 miscues, its lowest total since Dec. 30 at Minnesota.
Four Wildcats finished in double figures, the fourth time Northwestern has accomplished that feat this season and the first time since Jan. 9 versus Illinois. Okonkwo and Stutz led NU with 14 points each, while freshman Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School) and Glasauer both had 10 points.
Miller -- Northwestern's leading rebounder on the season -- has reached double figures just one other time this season. Okonkwo also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds to go with her 14 points.
With senior center Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) seeing just six minutes in a reserve role due to illness and NU's starters having trouble slowing down the Wisconsin attack, it was the play of the Wildcats' bench that sparked NU's late-game run.
Including Morrison, who usually comes off the bench behind Kwasinski but started this game, the Wildcats' reserves contributed 101 minutes in the game.
Sophomore guard Breanne Smilie (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Fenwick) played a season-high 29 minutes, dishing out a pair of assists and grabbing three boards while holding Wisconsin's high-scoring guard tandem of Anderson and Stephanie Rich in check to allow Northwestern's run.
Smilie's previous game-high for minutes was 15 against DePaul on Nov. 27.
Looking Ahead
NU will head to Indianapolis on Wednesday for the 2005 Big Ten Tournament, held at Conseco Fieldhouse. Action begins on Thursday, March 3 and runs through Monday, March 7.
The Series
All-Time Record: Northwestern leads, 29-17
Last Meeting: 62-44, Minnesota (Dec. 30, 2005)
Series Streak: 8, Minnesota
