Northwestern University Athletics
#B1GCats to Lace Up Dancing Shoes Friday in Waco
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Interactive Bracket | Printable Bracket | Tournament Central
| 2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - First Round | |
| No. 7 Northwestern (23-8, 12-6 B1G) vs. No. 10 Arkansas (17-13, 6-10 SEC) |
|
| Date | March 20, 2015 |
| Location | Ferrell Center| Waco, Texas |
| Watch Live | ESPN2 and WatchESPN (Fran Harris and Nell Fortner) |
| Listen Live | WNUR - 89.3 FM |
| Social Media | @nuwbball  | Northwestern Women's Basketball  | @NUCATS_WBB  |
| Postseason Media Guide (PDF) |
Northwestern |
| Game Notes (PDF) |
Northwestern | Arkansas |
| Buy Tickets | BaylorBears.com |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the seventh time in program history and the first time since 1997, the Northwestern Wildcats will lace up their dancing shoes this week for the biggest ball of them all, the 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
Chicago's Big Ten Team learned Monday that it is the seventh seed in the Midwest Region and the 'Cats will take on the 10th-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks in opening-round action on Friday morning, March 20, at 11 a.m. in Waco, Texas. The winner of that contest moves on to round two to face either No. 2 Baylor or No. 15 Northwestern State on Sunday, March 22.
Friday's game will be televised by ESPN2 in select markets and it will be widely available through WatchESPN. Fran Harris will provide the play-by-play with Nell Fortner adding analysis.
Tickets to cheer on the 'Cats in Waco are available now. All-session tickets are $45 for reserved which includes a ticket for both sessions, a total of three games. Single session tickets are $25 and $10 for students.
For more information, please contact the Baylor Ticket Office at 254-710-1000, order online at BaylorBears.com or purchase at the Baylor Athletic Ticket office at the Ferrell Center.
Below are some notes about the Wildcats and their upcoming opponent to prepare for the NCAA Tournament:
THE 'CATS ARE BACK
After collecting 23 wins, including 12 in the competitive Big Ten Conference, Northwestern earned its seventh bid into the NCAA Tournament, and the first since 1997, when the field of 64 teams was announced on Monday. It is the 14th postseason appearance in program history and the fourth under head coach Joe McKeown. The Wildcats are 12-13 all-time in postseason play with a record of 3-4 in the NCAA Tournament. The squad's last victory in the Big Dance came on March 17, 1993, a 90-62 destruction of Georgia Tech in the opening round. Most recently, NU advanced to the third round of the 2014 WNIT before falling in a nail-biter at Indiana, 66-65. That was NU's third postseason appearance since 2010 under McKeown.
WILDCATS EARN ALL-BIG TEN RECOGNITION
Four Northwestern Wildcats were honored on March 2 when the Big Ten announced its postseason award winners. Sophomore Nia Coffey is an All-Big Ten First Team selection for the second consecutive season, while junior Maggie Lyon earned a third straight All-Big Ten honorable mention. Sophomore point guard Ashley Deary also received All-Big Ten honorable mention, while also earning a spot on the five-member Big Ten All-Defensive Team. All three players were recognized in their respective positions by both the media and the conference's 14 head coaches. Senior guard and captain Karly Roser is this season's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.
RAISING THEIR SIGHTS
With 23 wins to its credit, Northwestern has secured at least 20 victories for the first time in seven years under head coach Joe McKeown. In fact, this is the first season since 1995-96 that the 'Cats have won at least 20 games. Chicago's Big Ten Team was also successful in conference play this year by earning 12 wins during the regular season. No Northwestern team had won 12 games in the league since the 1992-93 squad registered 13 triumphs in 18 games. The school record for the most wins in a season is 25, which happened in 1978-79, the program's fourth season of existence. The most Big Ten wins in NU history, 15, also came in 1989-90. That team won the program's first Big Ten Championship.
START FAST & FINISH STRONG
Northwestern has won 23 games, in large part, by jumping ahead early. The Wildcats are 19-1 when leading at the half this season, having scored 1,058 first-half points, an average of 34.1 per game. The 'Cats have scored 40 points or more in the first half seven times, most recently against Iowa on Jan. 29 (41). On the other side, opponents are averaging 28.6 points during the first 20 minutes this season, while turning the ball over an average of 10.0 times during the first period alone. Five times this season the opposition has committed at least 15 turnovers in the first half, most recently Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 1 (17).
HISTORICAL POLL PRESENCE
On February 23, Northwestern broke into the Associated Press top-25 poll for the first time since Jan. 29, 1996, at No. 25. Earlier this season, the Wildcats entered the USA Today top-25 coaches poll for the first time ever on Dec. 30, 2014, also checking in at No. 25. After topping a ranked-Rutgers squad for the second time in a week, NU vaulted from No. 24 to No. 22 in the edition that was released on March 9. The 'Cats also climbed back into the coaches poll for the second time this season on March 10, as well (No. 25). The highest AP ranking in program history came on Dec. 10, 1990 (No. 6), and the 'Cats have appeared in the final poll twice. Northwestern was ranked No. 13 to conclude the 1989-90 campaign and No. 22 at the end of the 1990-91 season.
COMEBACK 'CATS
Northwestern has been in good shape with the lead at halftime this season. The Wildcats are 19-1 when leading at the break, but in the last three road games, and in the Big Ten Tournament, they've shown the ability to come from behind as well. On Feb. 11, NU trailed Purdue by as many as 14 points in the first half before rallying to win by eight in overtime. Michigan led Northwestern by as many as 13 points in the opening half, and 10 at the intermission, on Feb. 14, but the 'Cats got a left-handed layup from Nia Coffey with 4.9 seconds left to secure their fifth consecutive win. On Feb. 22, NU was down by 15 at Wisconsin with 9:51 to go, and by 10 with 4:21 to play, before roaring back to force overtime with 1.8 seconds left in regulation, and eventually win in the extra period, 86-83. Finally, NU trailed Rutgers by 15 points with 4:34 to go in the first half of the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game, but the Wildcats stormed back to win, 62-57.
FANTASTIC FEBRUARY
Northwestern capped the month of February on Thursday, Feb. 26 with a 20-point win over No. 20/18 Rutgers to finish the period with a perfect 8-0 record. It was the first time that any NU squad went unbeaten in a single month, with at least eight victories, since head coach Mary DiStanislao's group went 11-0 in February 1980. NU also went 5-0 in November this season. Last season, the Wildcats went winless in seven games during the second month of the calendar year.
SHARING IS CARING
Following the Big Ten Tournament, Northwestern ranks third in the conference and 11th in the NCAA with 17.3 assists per game this season. Point guard Ashley Deary ranks third in the conference with 4.9 helpers per game and sixth with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.8. As a team, NU accumulated a season-high 28 assists on 77.7 percent (28-of-36) of its made field goals at home against Iowa on Jan. 29. Senior Karly Roser had a season-high nine assists against the Hawkeyes. The team's best percentage this season came on Dec. 7 against Loyola when the Wildcats recorded 22 assists on 28 baskets (78.5 percent).
SCOUTING No. 10 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Overall Record: 17-13, 6-10 SEC
All-Time Series Record: Arkansas leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Northwestern won 67-55 on Dec. 17, 2009
Probable Starters:
F - Jessica Jackson (14.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
F - Jhasmin Bowen (10.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
F - Melissa Wolff (8.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg)
G - Kelsey Brooks (14.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
G - Calli Berna (5.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Notable: The Razorbacks have compiled 17 wins this season, including key victories over another Big Ten foe, Iowa, and a talented Oklahoma squad. Arkansas, under first-year head coach Jimmy Dykes, has gone 5-5 since Feb. 1 and 2-8 against teams with a top-50 RPI this season. The Razorbacks have been one of the nation's top defensive teams this season, ranking 21st in scoring defense (55.4 ppg) and 29th in field-goal percentage defense (36.2%). They have also taken good care of the ball, ranking 30th in the NCAA with only 13.4 turnovers per game.
Individually, sophomore Jessica Jackson is the team's top scorer this year with 14.9 points per game, though classmate Kelsey Brooks is close behind with 14.1 ppg. Jackson is an All-SEC Second Team honoree who also averages 6.2 rebounds per game. Junior Melissa Wolff leads the way on the glass with a team-high 7.7 rpg, while the team's lone senior, Calli Berna, averages a team-best 5.1 assists per contest.
This marks Arkansas' 10th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2012 when it advanced to the second round. The Razorbacks are 12-9 all-time in the Big Dance with eight consecutive opening-round wins. Northwestern has met Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament once previously with the Razorbacks claiming a second-round victory on March 16, 1991.
More notes and information from both teams are available in the downloadable PDFs at the top of the page or through Northwestern's Tournament Central page. Stay tuned to NUsports.com for more coverage of the #B1GCats NCAA Tournament run throughout the week.
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