Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Hawks Win Shootout, 86-79
3/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 1, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern scored a season-high 79 points, thanks to five double-digit scoring efforts, but it was not enough as Iowa held on for an 86-79 Sunday afternoon at Welsh-Ryan Arena. A season-high five Wildcats notched double-figures, led by freshman Brittany Orban (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) with 18, while sophomore Amy Jaeschke (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) added 16 points and cousin Ellen Jaeschke (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) notched 14. Juniors Kristin Cartwright (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and Jenny Eckhart (Libertyville, Ill./Carmel) added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The opening pace indicated there was more riding on the contest than just another win. For the Wildcats, it was Senior Day. For the Hawkeyes, boosting their post-season resume and carrying momentum into the Big Ten Tournament. Both teams responded in an offensive manner, combining to shoot 52 percent from the field and featuring a total of 10 players in double-digits. Each team shot at least 35 percent from three-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line.
Northwestern shot 80 percent from the field, knocking down five of its first six looks, but still found itself down 16-11 seven minutes into the half. The Wildcats did most of their business from beyond the arc in the first 10 minutes of the opening frame, converting on 3-of-4 attempts, mostly due to senior Erin Dickerson's (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) two triples.
From that point, the Wildcats went on a 9-4 run to pull the tally even at 20 with 8:56 remaining in the half. Neck-to-neck scoring continued, as there were five lead changes and five ties through the first 15 minutes.
Iowa ended the half on an 8-0 run to take a 36-29 advantage into intermission. Jaeschke and Orban paced NU with eight points.
Coming out of the locker room, the Hawkeyes picked up right where they left off, outscoring Northwestern 11-4 through the first four minutes to take a 47-35 advantage. Northwestern kept drawing to within 10, but Iowa seemed to always have an answer until the 'Cats composed 9-2 run to pull the score to 58-50 with 11:28 remaining. Iowa answered with an 8-0 run to set the score at 66-50 with just under 10 minutes to play.
But Northwestern refused to go away, answering the Hawks' 8-0 run with an identical one of its own over the next three minutes to pull within eight with 7:25 on the clock. Ellen Jaeschke stepped up to score the Wildcats' next six points to pull NU to within six, 70-64, with 4:50 remaining.
A hard-fought lay-up by Orban at the 2:20 mark made it a four-game affair, 74-70, in favor of Iowa. Both teams scored on each of their next possessions to once again make it a two-possession game. Two free throws by Iowa's Kristi Smith gave the visitors a six-point lead, but two identical free-bees by Orban once again set the difference at four.
At the other end, Megan Skouby executed a three-point play the old fashioned way to extend Iowa's lead to eight with just over a minute remaining. Northwestern couldn't get the ball to drop on the offensive end and was forced to foul the Hawks, who converted on 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to claim the victory.
Northwestern is next in action on Thursday when it battles seventh-seeded Wisconsin at 11 a.m. CT in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Tickets are still available and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (312) 559-1212.
