Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Showtime Skins Basketball
Wildcats Dispose of Showtime, 67-39
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2007
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern used a little bit of hustle, a little bit of defense and a lot of team-driven offense to take care of Australia's Showtime Basketball, 67-39, Thursday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Senior Nadia Bibbs (Chicago, Ill./Hillcrest/Boston University) led the Wildcats with 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight steals.
"There were definite improvements from the first half to the second half," head coach Beth Combs said. "I think our newcomers did a great job. I think they were all a little nervous, but they progressed well. We've got a long way to go, but we've come a long way."
After settling in, the Wildcats strung together a 12-0 run--sparked by nine points from Bibbs--to go take a 22-10 lead with 6:23 remaining in the opening stanza. Northwestern extended its lead to as much as 17 in the first half before heading into the break with a 13-point advantage, 36-23. Bibbs contributed 11 of her team-high 14 points in the first half to lead NU.
Northwestern utilized a balanced scoring attack in the second half, as eight of 12 Wildcats found the scoring column, led by senior Sara Stutz's (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook) nine points.
After trading buckets to open the half, NU grew the difference to 21 and never looked back, holding Showtime to just 16 second-half points. Wildcats forced nine miscues and held Showtime to a 23 percent shooting mark in the second period.
Stutz and freshman Amy Jaeschke (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) joined Bibbs in double figures, notching 11 and 10 points, respectively. Sophomore Beth Marshall (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) and junior Erin Dickerson (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) led the team with seven assists each.
Northwestern dominated down under, scoring 30 of its 67 points in the paint while also capitalizing on Showtime's 22 fumbles, scoring 21 points off turnovers.
The Wildcats officially open the 2007-08 season next Friday, Nov. 9 when they take on Dayton in the first game of the WSF Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT.
