Nov. 22, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. -
WBK Game Notes vs. UIC
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Illinois-Chicago (0-0, 0-0)
vs. NORTHWESTERN (0-0, 0-0)
Date/Time: Friday, Nov. 22, 2002/5 p.m. CST
Site: Evanston, Ill./Northwestern University
Arena/Capacity: Welsh-Ryan Arena/8,117
Series: Northwestern leads 13-2
Radio/TV: WNUR 89.3 FM/none
Let The Games Begin
The basketball season is upon us and Northwestern is kicking it off with a men's and women's doubleheader tonight. The women get things started at 5 p.m. when they take on intra-city rival Illinois-Chicago. The men hit the hardwood at 8 p.m., taking on Maryland Eastern-Shore.
The women's team has not competed against UIC since 1996-also a season opener-in a game the Wildcats won 101-69. The Wildcats hold a 13-2 advantage in the all-time series and have won the last 13 contests. The Flames have not won at Welsh-Ryan Arena since the 1976-77 season, 59-57.
Led by sophomore Sarah Kwasinski, NU returns all five starters and a bevy of underclass talent. Kwasinski is coming off a freshman campaign in which she earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention accolades after leading the Wildcats with 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She tallied five double-doubles and tied for the Big Ten lead with 37 blocks in conference play. Additionally, Kwasinski finished the season with 54 overall blocks, just four shy of the single-season Northwestern record.
Also returning to the paint are senior Leslie Dolland and sophomore Suzanne Morrison. The pair combined to score more than 380 points and pull down more than 230 rebounds.
Heading up the Wildcat backcourt are a pair of sophomores, including last year's leading three-point shooter, Melissa Culver. Culver led the team with 34 three-pointers and finished fifth in the Big Ten with 130 assists. Samantha McComb drained 27 shots from behind the arc while starting 18 games.
Two new faces will don the Wildcat purple and white this season, Virginia transfer Kristin Ambrose and highly touted freshman Ifeoma Okonkwo. Ambrose scored 11 points in the Wildcats' 56-46 exhibition win over the Dominican Republic National Team, while Okonkwo got her first taste of collegiate action, playing eight minutes. Natalie Will returns for her senior campaign after leading the 'Cats in steals the last two years. Classmate Emily Butler is back after missing the last 24 games of 2001-02 with a knee injury. Butler was an All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore, averaging 12.7 points per game.
Opening Night
In the 28-year history of Northwestern women's basketball, the Wildcats hold a 21-6 opening night record. In those 27 games, NU has averaged 79.6 points while its opponents have averaged 63.4 points per game. The Wildcats' biggest opening-night victory was a 109-15 triumph over Elmhurst College in 1976.
Coaching Changes
In the offseason, Cleve Wright took a head coaching job at Gannon College in Pennsylvania and Sheila McMillen got out of coaching. Enter NU's two new coaching assistants, Sue Darling and Regina Grennan. After taking last year off, Darling comes to Evanston after spending the previous three years as head coach of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Darling took over the Falcon program as the team and school transitioned itself from an NCAA Division II program to Division I. Grennan found her way to the Wildcat program after serving as an assistant at both Richmond University and St. Joseph's University (Pa.). After spending just one season (1990-91) with the Spiders, Grennan spent the next 10 with the Hawks in Philadelphia. In all, the pair brings almost 30 years of coaching experience to the sideline.
European Travelers
Northwestern was well-represented on last summer's Big Ten Women's Basketball Foreign Tour team. Head coach June Olkowski and assistant Tricie Johnson led the squad to a perfect 5-0 record during the 10-day trip through Holland and Belgium. Senior center Leslie Dolland and sophomore guard Melissa Culver were key contributors for the all-star team. Culver, NU's top three-point shooter a year ago, proved to be one of the All-Stars' biggest three-point threats as well. She drained three treys in the team's final game, a 96-62 win over Meetjesland in Kaprijke, Belgium. Culver finished the trip with a team-best six three-pointers. Dolland, NU's third leading rebounder in 2001-02, was tough on the glass during the tour. She grabbed nine boards against Ekeren, another Belgian club, and averaged 4.8 rebounds per game, second among the All-Stars.
Fresh Faces
NU welcomes one fresh face to the program and one semi-new fresh face. The newest member of the Wildcat clan is Ifeoma Okonkwo, who hails from Spring, Texas. Okonkwo should see considerable playing time as a freshman. After sitting out the mandatory one year-due to NCAA transfer rules-Kristin Ambrose will hit the hardwood for the first time as a Wildcat.
Block Party
Northwestern sophomore Sarah Kwasinski tied for the Big Ten lead with 37 blocked shots during regular-season conference play last year.
Double Figures
With 10 points in the season finale against Wisconsin at last year's Big Ten Tournament, Sarah Kwasinski scored in double figures for the seventh straight game, a career high. Last season, the Chicago native produced 21 double-digit games, eclipsing the 20-point mark six times.
Last 10 vs. UIC 11/23/96 W 101-69 Welsh-Ryan Arena 2/6/96 W 70-50 UIC Pavilion 2/11/90 W 80-45 Welsh-Ryan Arena 2/12/89 W 85-65 UIC Pavilion 2/12/86 W 68-50 UIC Pavilion 11/24/84 W 75-57 Welsh-Ryan Arena 1/21/82 W 67-60 Welsh-Ryan Arena 1/29/81 W 79-69 UIC Pavilion 2/15/80 W 86-67 Welsh-Ryan Arena 2/29/80 W 80-75 Regional MAIAW Tournament
Movin' On Up
Sarah Kwasinski needs eight blocks to reach sixth place on the career blocked shots list and move ahead of Mya Whitmore (61, 1988-91). Kwasinski is currently seventh with 54 blocks.