Jan. 25, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following a week off, the Wildcats take to the road this weekend, making the short trek to Madison for a bout with the Badgers. Tip is set for 4:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and over the airwaves on WNUR (89.3 FM).
Last Time Out...
Despite 32 turnovers, Northwestern still had a shot at victory with three minutes remaining, but Purdue pulled away for a 52-38 victory last week at Mackey Arena. Freshman Amy Jaeschke turned in a solid game for the Wildcats with eight points, seven rebounds and a career-high five blocks.
Fellow classmate Meshia Reed was NU's leading scorer with nine points, while cousins Amy and Ellen Jaeschke each contributed eight. Senior Nadia Bibbs pulled down a team-best eight rebounds while also dishing out a game-high seven assists.
The Wildcats out-shot Purdue and held the advantage in assists and block columns.
After Sunday's game, the Wildcats return to the friendly confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena to host Iowa on Thursday, Jan. 31 and Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 3.
Scouting the Badgers
Wisconsin's contest against Northwestern is the second part of a two-game home stand as UW defeated Penn State 79-52 Thursday evening at the Kohl Center. Four Badgers tallied double-figures in the victory, which pushes Wisconsin's record to 9-9 overall and 2-6 in the conference. Janese Banks, Jolene Anderson and Lin Zastrow all notched 16 points, while Rae Lin D'Alie added 13. Anderson is the league's leading scorer, averaging 19.7 ppg while also logging the most minutes in the Big Ten with 37.61. She also leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.82).
The Series Against Wisconsin
Northwestern holds a 28-25 advantage in the all-time series against the Badgers. Wisconsin has won the last three meetings, but Northwestern edged out a 58-56 victory on Feb. 5, 2006.
Family Matters
Cousins Amy and Ellen Jaeschke have made an immediate impact at Northwestern. In 11 out of NU's 19 games, one Jaeschke has led the team in either scoring or rebounding. Amy notched a career-high 26 points against Michigan State on Jan. 17, marking the fourth time in 10 games she has been the leading scorer. She also pulled down 10 boards, signifying the fourth time she has been the Wildcats' leading rebounder. Ellen, a junior, has topped the scoring column three times in 17 games and been the rebounding leader on five occasions.
May I Help You?
The Wildcats have dished out 53 assists in the past three contests. NU is tied for fifth in the conference in assists in league games, averaging 14.00 dishes per outing. Senior guard Nadia Bibbs is the squad's assist leader in Big Ten games with 25 (3.5 apg).
Young Guns
Freshmen Amy Jaeschke and Meshia Reed have accounted for nearly half of Northwestern's scoring in conference games. Combined, the two have poured in 170 of NU's 347 total points (.489 percent). Jaeschke has stepped up on the defensive end as well, leading the Wildcats on the glass with 8.3 rpg. and 16 blocks in the first seven Big Ten contests.
In Conference Play
Several Wildcats have stepped up their performances since the start of the conference season. Meshia Reed leads the team with 12.6 ppg over the seven-game span, which ranks 16th in the league and fourth among all freshmen. Reed is sixth in three-point FG made (1.86) and eighth in three-point percentage (.382). Fellow classmate Amy Jaeschke has grabbed 8.3 rpg in league action, which is fifth in the Big Ten and is second in conference play with 2.29 blocks per outing.
Regarding Amy
Freshman Amy Jaeschke has led the Wildcats in rebounding since she returned to the lineup on Dec. 17. The 6-foot-5 center is averaging a team-best 7.2 rpg and has recorded 22 blocks in those nine games. She is also leading the team in scoring, averaging 12.8 ppg over that span. Most recently, Jaeschke poured in a career-best 26 points and 10 rebounds against Michigan State on Jan. 17. Additionally, she notched the first double-double of her young career against Illinois on Dec. 27, recording 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Wilmette, Ill., native contributed a team-high 21 points in the Wildcats' 65-63 victory against Marquette in her return to the court.
For complete game notes, please click on the PDF above.