Nov. 29, 2004
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern returns home for its second Evanston game of the year Wednesday, tipping off at 5 p.m. against another squad of Wildcats. The University of Kentucky brings a 3-2 overall record to Welsh-Ryan Arena while Northwestern enters the game at 1-3.
UK is led by senior forward Sara Potts, who is currently averaging 18.8 points per game. Junior center Jennifer Humphrey is grabbing 9.8 rebounds per game while 6-6 freshman center Sarah Elliott brings a 9.2 points per average to Evanston to go along with 10 blocks.
The Wildcats from Lexington are coming off a trip to the Virgin Islands, where they went 1-2 at the Paradise Jam. Potts averaged 25.5 points per game in her two contests, then sat out the third with an illness.
Northwestern will make its own trip to the Caribbean later in December for the San Juan Shootout, but first NU is focused on running its home record to 2-0 on the young season.
The Wildcats from Evanston got strong performances from their three freshmen in the starting lineup in NU's last outing at DePaul. Kelly Rae Finley (Edina, Minn./The Breck School) (14), Sara Stutz (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) (13) and Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School) (11) all put up double-digit scoring efforts while all reaching career-bests in their first collegiate season. Miller also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in that contest.
Through four games, senior Suzanne Morrison (Franklin, Mich./Detroit Country Day) is the lone purple 'Cat averaging in double figures with 11.0 points per game on the year. Classmate Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) currently paces NU with 3.75 assists per game while junior Ifeoma Okonkwo (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) has a 2.5 steals per game average.
Northwestern will need to turn up its defensive pressure against Potts and a Kentucky offense averaging 70.8 points per game. NU is currently ranked last in the Big Ten in scoring defense, surrendering 86.0 points per contest.
The Wildcats vs. Wildcats matchup is the first of a double-header Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Northwestern men will play host to Virginia as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at 8:30 p.m.