Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Meet Gophers in Opening Round of Tourney
2/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2007
Big Ten Tournament Release
Download Free Acrobat Reader
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Eleventh-seeded Northwestern meets No. 6 Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m. CT at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The NU-Minnesota will face second-seeded Michigan State at approximately 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday. The Wildcats (8-21, 2-14) have won two of their last four contests heading into the Tournament.
Scouting the Gophers
Minnesota enters Thursday's first-round game against the Wildcats following a seven-point loss (57-50) on the road against No. 20 Michigan State. The Golden Gophers have split the last four contests after their longest losing streak of the season -- a four-game skid that included losses at Wisconsin and Indiana and against Purdue and Ohio State.
Minnesota boasts two players in double-figures in Kelly Roysland and Emily Fox, who are averaging 13.1 and 12.7 ppg, respectively. The two guards also lead the team from downtown, both shooting 35 percent from 3-point range. Ashley Ellis-Milan leads the Gophers on the boards, averaging 7.3 ppg. Korinne Campbell comes in at a close second with 6.9 rpg. The Gophers are out-rebounding their opponents by 5.5 rebounds per contest.
Glasauer Garners All-Conference Accolades
A.J. Glasauer was named to the 2006-07 All-Big Ten Team as voted on by the conference coaches and by the media. She becomes the second Wildcat to earn the honor in as many years. Ifeoma Okonkwo was also tabbed an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection last season. The Freiburg, Germany native is currently 15th in the conference in scoring. She averages 12.8 ppg and is 10th in the league in assists, dishing out 3.31 helps per contest. She also has been atop the assist-to-turnover leaders all season, currently boasting a ratio of +1.33, good for sixth. Additionally, Glasauer represented Northwestern in the Big Ten Foreign Tour over the summer, helping the squad to an undefeated 4-0 record.
Komara Spotlighted in Talk of the Town
First-year assistant coach Kelly Komara will be a guest speaker at the Big Ten's second-annual Talk of the Town celebration. The event, which runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET and is open to both media and the public, takes place on Saturday, the off-day of the 2007 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament presented by Xbox 360. "Talk of the Town" will feature a public question and answer segment and autograph session involving coaches and selected players from the four tournament semifinal participants, as well as a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Big Ten Women's Championships.
Komara starred at Purdue from 1999-2002 and was a member of the conference's lone national championship team as the Boilermakers claimed the 1999 NCAA title. Following another run at the national championship in 2001, when the Boilermakers finished runner-up to Notre Dame, Komara earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2002 and was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
'Cats Turning Up the Intensity
The Wildcats have won two of their last four contests, and are arguably playing their best ball of the season. During that span, NU took No. 24 Michigan State to the last minute of the game before coming up just short, 68-63, at the Breslin Center. The 'Cats defeated Penn State, 64-61, at home on Feb. 11 and then handled Michigan, 63-54, on Feb. 18. Northwestern fell to Indiana, 83-59, its last time out. Over the past four games, NU has shot 44 percent from the field while also averaging 17.5 apg.
Firing It Up
NU's recent upswing can be partially attributed to the 'Cats hot shooting. Three Wildcats are averaging in double-figures over the past four games. A.J. Glasauer leads the way with 16.3 ppg, while Kristin Cartwright has posted 10.5 ppg and Sara Stutz has contributed 10.3. Additionally, Glasauer has dished out a team-high 20 assists in the last four games.
For complete game notes, please click on the PDF above.
