Dec. 23, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. -
OSU Game Notes
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NORTHWESTERN (5-5) vs. Ohio State (7-2)
Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2002
Site: Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University
Arena/Capacity: The Schottenstein Center/19,100
Series: vs. Ohio State -- OSU leads 23-15
Radio/TV: WNUR 89.3 FM/none
Internet : www.wnur.org
Bring on the Big Ten
Northwestern enters the 2002-03 Big Ten season with its best record (5-5) since Don Perrelli's club was 7-4 entering the 1998-99 conference schedule.
This season, NU is led by a pair of sophomores in Sarah Kwasinski and Samantha McComb. Kwasinski, a center, is among the league leaders in most offensive categories (14.7 ppg) and ranked among the league's top-five shot blockers (18). She has recorded three double-doubles this season and eight in her career. As a matter of fact, Kwasinski averaged a double-double (19.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG) at the Denver Classic on Dec. 20-21. For her efforts she was named to the all-tournament team.
On the perimeter, McComb is becoming one of the league's top three-point shooters, hitting 35 percent (17-for-48) from beyond the arc. She is also second on the team with 29 assists.
Leading the team in assists (32) is senior Natalie Will, who also is among the conference's best in assist-to-turnover ratio. Will is third on the team in scoring, an 8.1 average, and shoots 87 percent from the free-throw line.
The Wildcats are opening their conference season on the road for the eighth time in the last 11 years and fourth in the last five. The last time the Wildcats and Buckeyes kicked off their respective Big Ten seasons was during the 1991-92 season. OSU won, 85-67, in Columbus. NU went on to a 10-8 conference mark and a fourth-place finish while Ohio State was 9-9 and in fifth place.
Buckeye first-year head coach Jim Foster is no stranger to the Wildcats. Coach Foster defeated NU on Jan. 1, 1997, 73-54, when he was the head coach at Vanderbilt. Foster and Wildcat head coach June Olkowski have not faced each other since her hiring in 1999.
Wildcat Quickies
* Sarah Kwasinski, a sophomore, reached 500 in her career last
weekend, scoring a combined 38 points (in two games) earning
Denver Classic All-Tournament honors. She now has 525.
* Leslie Dolland was voted team captain.
* Eleven of NU's 14 players hail from different states.
* Three of NU's four coaches have head coaching experience.
-Olkowski at Arizona and NU
-Darling at the Air Force Academy
-Grennan at St. Joseph's (Pa.)
* Sue Darling spent two years (1996-97) working for the Seattle
Reign (ABL) as an assistant coach.
* Samantha McComb and Sarah Kwasinski are the only two
Wildcats to start every game this season.
New Management
Northwestern will get its first look at Buckeye first-year head coach Jim Foster. Foster, a legend in women's basketball has an overall record of 511-227 in 25 seasons as a head coach. He has enjoyed stints at most recently Vanderbilt (11 years) and St. Joseph's in Philadelphia (13 years). In his last season as Vandy's coach, Foster led the Commodores to the Elite 8 and a 30-7 record. In his 25 years as a head coach, he has had only one losing year (11-15, 1979-80 at St. Joseph's).
The 'Buck' Stops Here
NU has a 4-6 record against the Buckeyes the last 10 times they have played, including a five-game losing streak. In those 10 games, OSU has outscored the Wildcats by an average of 67.9-to-61.5.
Margin of Victory
In NU's five wins this season, they are averaging 66.0 points per game. Their opponents on the other hand are putting up 56.0 points per contest. In its five losses, NU's opponents are outscoring the Wildcats 62.0-48.0.
Double-Trouble
Sophomore Sarah Kwasinski recorded her second and third double-doubles of the season when she racked up a total of 38 points and 23 rebounds in two games at the Denver Classic on Dec. 20-21. She scored 18 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in an opening round, 76-66, win over Morehead State and scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the championship game against Denver. NU lost 66-53.
Nationwide Charity
According to the national statistics found on ncaa.org, Northwestern was tied for 5th in the country last week in free throw percentage (87-107, .813). But after going 27-for-37 at the Denver Classic on Dec. 20-21, the Wildcats are now shooting .782 (129-165) from the charity stripe. That percentage moves NU down to 18th place behind Idaho (90-for-115, 78.3). These numbers do not include games after Dec. 16.
In the 'Steal' of the Night
In the last five games, the Wildcats have tallied 43 steals, an average of 8.6 per game. In the first five games of the season, NU managed just 31 takeaways, a 6.2 per game average.
Bench Points
The Northwestern bench has played a big role in its five victories this season. In those five games, the Wildcat bench has outscored the opponent's bench 86-58, an average of 17.2-to-11.6.
Three-for-Three
Sophomore Sarah Kwasinski has been named to the all-tournament teams at all three of NU's nonconference tournaments, the Rutgers Coca-Cola Classic, the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational and most recently the Denver Pioneer Classic. In those six games, Kwasinski has averaged 17.3 points and 8.7 reboounds per game. She has also recorded three double-double in those contests.
Tourney Champs
Northwestern's women's basketball team earned its 10th Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational title and the first since 1998 with a 57-43 victory over Alabama-Birmingham at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 7. NU defeated Yale, 54-44, in the first round.
'Turn'ing Over a New Leaf
With 10 games played this season, the Wildcats have 179 turnovers, a 17.9 average. That is a 47-turnover improvement from last season. In 2001-02, NU had 226 turnovers (22.6 average) in the same amount of games.
Not to be Outdone
With Sarah Kwasinski racking up the all-tournament selections, classmate Samantha McComb should not be forgotten. The Michigan native torched Yale for 19 points in the first round of the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational and was an integral part of the championship-game win, dishing out four assists and collecting one steal. For her efforts, attending media and tournament personnel named her to the all-tournament team.
Block Party
Kwasinski has 18 blocks this season (72 for her career). Those 18 throw-backs leave her one block shy of fourth place on the career blocked shots list. The No. 4 slot is held by Patricia Babcock who blocked 73 shots (1991-94).
Wildcat Athlete's of the Week
Center Sarah Kwasinski and guard Kristin Ambrose have earned Northwestern Wildcat Athlete of the Week honors this season for their outstanding contribution on the basketball floor. Kwasinski earned the honor Nov. 24-30 and Dec. 1-7, before Ambrose won Dec. 8-14 honor.
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 has stepped right into the fire, averaging 11.4 minutes in the first 10 games. After sitting out the mandatory one year-due to NCAA transfer rules-Kristin Ambrose has hit the hardwood running, averaging 24.0 minutes per game while chipping in 7.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
A Coke and A Smile
Sophomore Melissa Culver and Sarah Kwasinski each were tabbed All-Classic performers for their play at the Rutgers Coca-Cola Classic in Piscataway, N.J., earlier this season. Culver, a point guard, averaged 10 points per game while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out four assists. Kwasinski, a center, averaged 18 points, 7.5 rebounds and blocked three shots, while scoring a game-high 22 points in a first-round 68-65 victory over Richmond.
Coaching Changes
In the offseason, Cleve Wright took a head coaching job at Gannon College in Pennsylvania and Sheila McMillen left the coaching profession. Enter NU's two new coaching assistants, Sue Darling and Regina Grennan. Following a one-year hiatus, Darling comes to Evanston after spending the previous three years as head coach at 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.