Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Welcomes Gonzaga on Field Trip Day
12/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| (rv/rv) Northwestern (7-0) vs. Gonzaga (6-3) |
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| Date | Monday, Dec. 15 | 12:00 p.m. CT |
| Location | Welsh-Ryan Arena | Evanston, Ill. |
| Watch Live | BTN Plus on BTN2GO |
| Live Stats | GameTracker |
| Social Media | @nuwbball  | Facebook  | @NUWILDCATS_WBB  |
| Game Notes (PDF) |
Northwestern | Gonzaga |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- After taking seven days off to focus on the end of the fall quarter and final exams, Northwestern will be back in action on Monday, Dec. 15 when it hosts the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Field Trip Day. The contest will tip off from Welsh-Ryan Arena at noon.
GET IN FOR A BUCK
All fans will be able to purchase tickets to Monday's game against the Bulldogs for the low price of $1. Parking is free at Welsh-Ryan Arena for all women's basketball games and that will be the case again on Monday afternoon. Over 4,000 students are expected to be on hand to cheer on the Wildcats.
DEFENSIVE DANDIES
Statistically speaking, the Wildcats have been arguably one of the top defensive teams in the NCAA this season. Northwestern leads the 14-team Big Ten Conference and ranks third in the NCAA in field-goal percentage defense (30.2) and fifth in the country in scoring defense (49.6 ppg). NU also leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally in blocks (7.1 bpg) and eighth in steals (13.1 spg). Individually, Ashley Deary is the NCAA leader with 4.71 steals per game and three #B1GCats average 1.43 blocks per game or higher (Nia Coffey - 2.14; Lauren Douglas - 1.86; Alex Cohen - 1.43).
ALONE ON TOP
After No. 12 Nebraska fell on a buzzer-beater at Alabama on Dec. 7, Northwestern was left as the lone undefeated team in the Big Ten. Four teams, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska and Rutgers, have just one loss on their record to date. The 'Cats are 7-0 have their best start to a season under head coach Joe McKeown, and the best overall since 1995-96. The Wildcats won nine straight to open the 1995-96 season , while the program record for the longest season-opening win streak came in 1976-77 when Northwestern won its first 12 contests before falling to Michigan State on Feb. 12, 1977.
TOPPLING THE TOP 25
Northwestern has accumulated 15 wins against teams ranked in the top 25 or receiving votes in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches polls under the direction of Joe McKeown. DePaul has been the most victimized team, falling three times, including an NU victory at 18th-ranked DePaul on Nov. 29. The Wildcats have won four games over top-25 foes since last season. After the win in Lincoln Park, the 'Cats received votes in both polls this week.
WILDCATS VS. WEST COAST CONFERENCE FOES
Though Northwestern has never played Gonzaga, it has matched up against five current members of the West Coast Conference. The Wildcats are 7-2 in those contets. NU has played St. Mary's and BYU three times apiece, winning all six contests and most recently beating the pair on back-to-back days (Nov. 26-27, 2010). Chicago's Big Ten Team won its lone game against San Diego on Dec. 20, 1987, while it fell to San Francisco to open the 1982-83 season (11/27/82) and to Loyola Marymount on Dec. 28, 2003.
SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORES
Northwestern's trio of sophomores in the starting lineup have showed no sign of slowing down in their second seasons. Nia Coffey is the team's top scorer at 15.6 points per game, while Ashley Deary and Christen Inman are both in double figures with 10.4 and 10.7 ppg, respectively. Coffey also leads the way on the boards with 8.9 rpg, while Deary leads the entire country with 4.71 steals per game. Inman boasts a field-goal percentage of .564, best on the squad and fifth-best in the Big Ten. One month into their second season, the group has already combined for 116 career starts.
SCOUTING GONZAGA
Overall Record: 6-3
All-Time Series Record: First meeting
Notable: Gonzaga has won 10 consecutive West Coast Conference regualr season titles and made six consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. The squad has won at least 25 games in seven straight seasons as well. Sunny Greinacher, who hails from Essen, Germany, is the team's leading scorer this season with 15.6 ppg, while Pullman, Wash., native Shelby Cheslek leads the way on the boards with 10.8 rpg, a number which ranks 15th in the NCAA. The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Lisa Fortier, boast players from five different countries including two from Canada, two from Germany and one from Australia.
UP NEXT
Northwestern will venture out west to begin a season-long, four-game road trip on Wednesday, Dec. 17. The 'Cats will play at UNLV before moving on to Tempe, Ariz., where they will play in the ASU Classic on Dec. 20-21. NU will open that event against Eastern Illinois before taking on either Lehigh or the host Sun Devils. Following another extended break, Chicago's Big Ten Team opens conference play on Sunday, Dec. 28 at Michigan State.
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