Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Meet Hawkeyes in Big Ten Home Opener
1/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 5, 2007
Iowa Game Notes
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Wildcats welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to Welsh-Ryan Arena at 2 p.m. Sunday for the Big Ten home opener. If there are 3,000 pre-sold tickets to the game, head coach Beth Combs will dye her hair purple. Get your tickets today by calling 847.491.CATS and be part of the excitement!
Last Time Out...
Penn State shot 55 percent from the field and connected on 24-of-29 free throws en route to an 85-53 victory against the 'Cats Thursday evening at the Bryce Jordan Center. Junior Sara Stutz led NU with 16 points, while sophomore Kristin Cartwright added 13.
"We didn't come out ready to play," head coach Beth Combs said. "We played an even second half with them but it was a little too late. We need to be able to make plays from the tip. We are very disappointed but will re-group and be ready to go on Sunday."
The Wildcats were competitive early before the Lady Lions ran off 14 unanswered points to push the lead to 26-8 midway through the first half. Penn State never looked back and Northwestern could muster just 14 points the rest of the opening stanza. PSU held a 49-22 lead at the break.
The Wildcats rebounded in a big way the second half, nearly outscoring the Lady Lions, but could not overcome the first-half deficit. Northwestern's defense forced 20 Penn State turnovers, which led to 10 fast break points.
Nadia Bibbs pulled down a team-high six rebounds while also dishing out four assists.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa opened the 2006-07 season on a five-game winning streak before dropping five out of its next seven contests. The Hawks opened conference action with a narrow two-point victory at Minnesota on Dec. 28 before dropping back-to-back games to two top-10 squads in Ohio State and Purdue. Three Hawkeyes are scoring in double figures in Megan Skouby (14.1), Kristi Smith (12.8) and Wendy Ausdemore (11.4). Junior Jenee Graham is Iowa's leading rebounder, pulling down 9.6 rpg.
The Series with Iowa
This is the 50th time these two teams have met with the Hawkeyes holding a 37-12 advantage. The last time Northwestern defeated Iowa was on March 2, 2000 when the Wildcats bumped the Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten Tournament.
Score Early and From Beyond the Arc
Northwestern is 6-1 on the year when tied or leading at the half. When hitting more 3-pointers than its opponents, NU is 6-3.
On the Upswing
The Wildcats' 67-53 victory over Princeton put the season win total at six, matching the win total for the entire 2005-06 year.
Stutz Stepping Up
Junior Sara Stutz has consistently scored in double figures throughout the season, tallying double digits in 14 of NU's 15 games. She has started every game this season--and every game of the career--and is averaging a team-best 31.3 mpg. The Glenview, Ill., native is second on the team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and FG percentage (46 pecent). Stutz has also dished out 39 assists.
Setting an Example
Northwestern's upperclassmen have led the 'Cats in scoring in 14 of 15 games so far this season. Senior captain A.J. Glasauer has led NU in scoring eight times, while junior Sara Stutz has been the top scorer five times. Fellow classmate Melissa Miller has topped the scoring column twice.
On the Big Stage
In the most recent NCAA stats (12/31/06), Northwestern ranks 20th in the nation (324 ranked) in assists per game with 17.6 and 47th in blocked shots per contest with 4.5. The Wildcats crack the top 100 in FG percentage (65th--43.6), FG percentage defense (71st--37.5), FT percentage (96th--71.0) and 3-point FG percentage (74th--34.6).
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