Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Give Thanks In The Bahamas
11/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2006
Mississippi Game Notes
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern heads to the Bahamas for the Thanksgiving holiday, meeting Mississippi in the first game of the Junkanoo Jam. Tip is set for 5 p.m. CT on Friday. The Wildcats will face either Gardner-Webb or defending national champion Maryland on Saturday.
Last Time Out...
Northwestern used a 51 percent shooting effort to down Miami (Ohio), 80-51, Friday evening at Millett Hall. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 3-0 on the season, the program's best start since the 1995-96 campaign. Senior A.J. Glasauer (Freiburg, Germany/Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium) exploded for a game-high 22 points thanks to a 9-of-16 performance from the field, including 3-of-6 from three-point range.
Miami (Ohio) held an early 9-6 advantage, but freshman Kaitlin McInerney (Oak Brook, Ill./Benet Academy) ran off four-straight points to give the 'Cats a 10-9 lead at the 14:54 mark. From then on out, the Wildcats would not relinquish the lead. Miami (Ohio) went on a four-minute scoring drought to allow Northwestern to inflate the lead to 17-11 with 8:55 left in the first half.
Northwestern's defense held Miami (Ohio) to just 25 percent shooting from the field in the first half while out-running, out-hustling and out-shooting the RedHawks en route to a commanding 44-27 halftime lead. Glasauer scored 16 of her 22 points in the opening half, helping NU to an impressive 55 percent shooting percentage.
The Wildcats picked up right where they left off at the end of the break, running off the first 11 points of the second stanza, and boosting the lead to 30 at the 15:50 mark.
Northwestern's offense was relentless, overshadowing any mini-runs the RedHawks could muster. The 'Cats dominated down low, collecting 34 points in the paint compared to MU's 18. NU also pulled down a season-high 54 rebounds on the night.
Junior Sara Stutz (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook) joined Glasauer in double-figures, with 16 points, her third-straight double-digit performance. Stutz was 7-of-11 from the field while also pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.
Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School) and McInerney also grabbed eight boards. McInerney recorded a career-high 12 points while also contributing three blocks.
Scouting the Runnin' Rebels
Prior to Tuesday night's contest against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Ole Miss has posted a 3-1 mark on the season, losing only at Rice, 92-91, in double overtime. The Rebels have averaged 94.0 points per game through the first four contests and are led by senior Armintie Price (21.3 ppg), Shawn Goff (11.8) and Alliesha Easley (11.0).
The Series with Mississippi
This is the first meeting between the two squads. Northwestern holds an 8-15 all-time record against Southeastern Conference schools. The only other SEC squad the 'Cats have not met is Florida.
'Cat Nips
Up, Up and Away
Northwestern is out to its best start since the 1995-96 campaign when the 'Cats won their first nine games. Additionally, Northwestern was among those receiving votes in this week's Associated Press Top 25.
Board Games
Northwestern's 54 rebounds against Miami (Ohio) on Friday was the most boards so far in the Big Ten this season. Three 'Cats grabbed eight rebounds a piece --Sara Stutz, Kaitlin McInerney and Melissa Miller--while freshman guard Beth Marshall pulled down a career-high five rebounds. So far this year, the Wildcats are out-rebounding their opponents by +14.3.
Bring it On
The Wildcats are outscoring their opponents by an average margin of 22 points, good for third so far in the conference. NU has been able to connect when it counts, shooting an impressive 80 percent from the free throw line. Only Penn State has a higher free-throw percentage (83 percent).
Stutz Steps It Up
Thanks in large part to a career-setting 26-point performance against Loyola (Ill.) on Nov. 12, junior Sara Stutz is the 'Cats leading scorer with 18.0 ppg. Stutz scored 22 of her 26 points in the second half, providing the spark that propelled NU to victory. Most recently, Stutz contributed 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds at Miami (Ohio). Against Valpariaso, the Glenview, Ill. native scored in double-figures with 12 points while also adding four rebounds and two steals.
Coming out of the Blocks
Freshman Kaitlin McInerney has been an immediat contributor for the Wildcats so far this year. In the season-opener against Valparaiso, the Oak Brook native tallied nine points on a perfect 4-for-4 performance while also grabbing six boards. McInerney recorded a game-high three blocks and added two assists in 27 minutes. Versus Loyola, the forward posted five points and a career-best nine rebounds while also dishing out three assists. McInerney has continued her impressive effort against Miami (Ohio), scoring a career-high 12 points on 4-of-7 from the field, while also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds.
Guard It With Your Life
At the beginning of the season, head coach Beth Combs said she was excited about the competition between Nadia Bibbs and Beth Marshall at the point guard position. So far, Bibbs, the incumbent, has certainly answered the challenge, averaging 11.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg, good for third and fifth, respectively, on the team. Bibbs has contributed a team-high 13 assists while also leading the 'Cats in steals with nine. Marshall, meanwhile, has made the most of her court time, dishing out six assists and connecting on 5-of-9 from the field in 41 minutes.
