Northwestern University Athletics
Deary's Focus Remains on Team Despite Milestone
2/24/2016 12:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
By Martina Barrera-Hernandez and David Herder, Northwestern Correspondent
For 20 years, nobody touched the Big Ten single-season steals record of 124.
Twenty minutes into Northwestern's final home contest of the year against Michigan, junior Ashley Deary had accumulated 123.
Heading into the third quarter on Tuesday night, Deary needed just one to tie and two to break the long-standing record that was set during the 1995-96 season by Wisconsin's Keisha Anderson. Two minutes into the third frame, Deary matched the record with a steal before feeding Maggie Lyon with an assist. But as the game progressed into its final moments, the junior from Flower Mound, Texas, still sat even.
With 45 seconds remaining in the game, Deary broke through, before repeating the act and logging steal number 126 on the next possession.
Deary will enter the squad's regular-season finale against Nebraska this Sunday, boasting a career record of 296 steals, just 77 swipes shy of the conference career record.
Despite the accomplishment, Deary remains humble and emphasizes her team's achievements.
Not even the hard-fought battle against Michigan can dampen Deary's confidence in her teammates, the coaching staff and the team's approach heading into the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
"It's just about the team, moving forward and winning games," Deary said.
Women's basketball head coach Joe McKeown agrees, while highlighting Deary's modesty and her focus on the success of the team as a whole. Although setting this milestone is definitely an honor, McKeown says Deary did not come to Northwestern to break records.
"She came here to win and to be part of a winning tradition, so I think that is more important to her," McKeown said. "We have been a really good team since she has been here, but she does not pay attention to stats and individual awards. That's not something she is very focused on."
For 20 years, nobody touched the Big Ten single-season steals record of 124.
Twenty minutes into Northwestern's final home contest of the year against Michigan, junior Ashley Deary had accumulated 123.
Heading into the third quarter on Tuesday night, Deary needed just one to tie and two to break the long-standing record that was set during the 1995-96 season by Wisconsin's Keisha Anderson. Two minutes into the third frame, Deary matched the record with a steal before feeding Maggie Lyon with an assist. But as the game progressed into its final moments, the junior from Flower Mound, Texas, still sat even.
With 45 seconds remaining in the game, Deary broke through, before repeating the act and logging steal number 126 on the next possession.
Deary will enter the squad's regular-season finale against Nebraska this Sunday, boasting a career record of 296 steals, just 77 swipes shy of the conference career record.
Despite the accomplishment, Deary remains humble and emphasizes her team's achievements.
Not even the hard-fought battle against Michigan can dampen Deary's confidence in her teammates, the coaching staff and the team's approach heading into the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
"It's just about the team, moving forward and winning games," Deary said.
Women's basketball head coach Joe McKeown agrees, while highlighting Deary's modesty and her focus on the success of the team as a whole. Although setting this milestone is definitely an honor, McKeown says Deary did not come to Northwestern to break records.
"She came here to win and to be part of a winning tradition, so I think that is more important to her," McKeown said. "We have been a really good team since she has been here, but she does not pay attention to stats and individual awards. That's not something she is very focused on."
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