March 6, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Kristi Faulkner scored 10 of her game-high 27 points in the second half as Iowa defeated Northwestern, 70-58, in the first round of the 2003 Women's Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind. The Wildcats end the season 8-20 overall, 3-13 in the Big Ten.
Neither Northwestern nor Iowa could distance itself from one another until the Hawkeyes took advantage of some Wildcat miscues late in the second half.
"We were good until the six-minute mark, but then we got tentative and had some untimely turnovers," said Wildcat head coach June Olkowski. "We got tight in the last few minutes, they scored a couple of baskets and we got even tighter."
Iowa outscored NU 17-5 in the last 6:36 of regulation.
"Iowa is just as young as we are," said Olkowski. "The difference is they have two players (Faulkner and Jennie Lillis) who have done it before. Iowa is not a team that will let you win, you have to earn it."
Northwestern forward Kristin Ambrose (Minnetonka, Minn./The Blake School) turned it on for the postseason as the Minnesota native tied her career-high (19) in the first 20 minutes. She ended the game with 22 points, hitting a career high five three pointers.
Tied at 28 with 1:46 remaining in the first half, Ambrose nailed two three pointers, giving NU a six-point halftime lead, 34-28. It was the fourth time in the last five games that NU led at half.
Sophomore guard Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) was the only other Wildcat in double figures with 11. Forwards Natalie Will (Nappanee, Ind./Northwood) and Suzanne Morrison (Franklin, Mich./Detroit Country Day) each chipped in nine as Will also recorded six assists and four steals.
Sophomore center Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) had a team high six rebounds.