Dec. 3, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- In the opening game of the 2004 Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational, No. 24 Houston used its size and strength in the paint to overpower Northwestern, 78-56.
Through the first ten minutes of the game, senior Sarah Kwasinski (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) and freshman Melissa Miller (Bloomington, Minn./The Breck School) were able to hold Cougar All-America candidate Sancho Lyttle in check.
After a Suzanne Morrison (Franklin, Mich./Detroit Country Day) layup cut the Houston lead to three with 11 minutes to go in the first half, Lyttle made three buckets during a 14-2 Cougar run.
"As big and athletic as they are underneath, I was proud of how we held them off the offensive glass in the first half," NU Head Coach Beth Combs said. "In the second half we just were unable to keep that up."
Down 13 at the break, NU played Houston (7-0) evenly until a Kwasinski free throw at 12:08 remaining cut the lead to 12. The Wildcats were unable to get closer than that the rest of the way.
"I'm proud of the way we competed for the full 40 minutes," Combs said. "I feel we took some little steps tonight and got some things done."
While Lyttle finished with 23 points and 11 boards, the 'Cats were only outrebounded 44-37 against a frontcourt whose smallest member stands 6-2. NU was also able to turn up the defensive pressure, forcing 15 turnovers. Senior Samantha McComb (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) led the way with four steals for Northwestern.
Morrison led the Wildcats (1-5) with 11 points while Miller pulled down a team-best nine rebounds.
The Mildred and Roger L. White Invitational continues Saturday with Houston facing Virginia at 1 p.m. Northwestern will close the event with a 1 p.m. tip time Sunday against UVa.