Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Chicago Challengers -- Exhibition
'Cats Down Challengers 59-55 in Exhibition Game
11/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2006
Challengers Boxscore
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Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's women's basketball team made the most of its lone exhibition game before the 2006-07 regular season, defeating the Chicago Challengers 59-55 at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday night.
"Tonight was a good start," Northwestern Head Coach Beth Combs said. "We tried some different lineup combinations and were able to get a feel for each other against an opponent before the regular season starts."
The Wildcats led most of the way, but the Challengers evened the game at 54 apiece with only 1:28 to play in the game. A.J. Glasauer (Freiburg, Germany/Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium) responded with a 12-foot jumper to put the 'Cats back in front, and Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn/Breck) put the game away with a three-point play to give the Wildcats a 59-55 victory.
Miller led the Wildcats with 15 points and eight rebounds, both team-highs. Kristin Cartwright (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and Sara Stutz (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) also reached double-figures, posting 13 and 11 points respectively. Freshman Kaitlin McInerney (Oak Brook, Ill./Benet Academy) was a force on the glass, also grabbing eight rebounds for the 'Cats.
Jessica Wilhite scored 13 points to lead the Challengers.
Northwestern jumped out to an early 11-2 lead and never trailed in the game. Stutz scored the first seven points of the game, including a three-point play of her own, to help the 'Cats jump ahead of the Challengers early.
The Challengers battled back, shrinking the lead down to two with five minutes to go in the first half. Five straight points by Cartwright enabled the Wildcats to push their lead back up to nine, as they led 30-21 at halftime.
The Wildcats maintained a solid lead for the majority of the second half until the Challengers mounted their run to tie the game at 54, setting up Glasauer and Miller's heroics.
Northwestern will open the 2006-07 regular season on Nov. 10 when it takes on Valparaiso at home. The game, which begins at 6 p.m., will be the opening game in a doubleheader of Northwestern basketball games, with men's basketball facing Cornell in the nightcap.
