Marquette University
Iowa
Women's Basketball Gets Past Iowa
11/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 1999
MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women?s basketball team opened its 1999-2000 season this evening, holding off a scrappy Iowa team en route to a 69-64 victory. Redshirt freshman Kristen Seffern came off the bench for a fouled-out Abbie Willenborg and scored five of her seven points in the game?s last minute to propel the Golden Eagles to the victory over Iowa. Lisa Oldenburg led Marquette with 20 points, three blocks and a career high eight steals to go along with six rebounds as the Golden Eagles improve to 1-0.
?This was a fun, great, exciting game to coach in and it?s a shame someone had to lose,? said Marquette head coach Terri Mitchell. ?It came down to every possession and to the little things. Then our experience kicked in. This team knows how to win. And Kristin Seffern came of age tonight.?
Despite a poor shooting night from the field, Willenborg had 17 points when she fouled out with 53 seconds remaining and Marquette down by one. However, Seffern, the 6-2 redshirt from Van Dyne, Wis., scored the next five Golden Eagles? points to give MU a 67-64 edge. Kiesha Oliver iced the game with two free throws with seven seconds left.
?The difference now is we?re not just relying on Abbie to get us wins anymore,? Mitchell said. ?Lisa has her all-around game, Kristi (Johnson) can hit some threes, Kiesha will drive to the hoop and we?ll get someone else to step up like (Seffern) did tonight and it will all come together for us.?
A back-and-forth contest was marked by strong backcourt play from the Hawkeyes and a relentless resiliency from the Golden Eagles. Iowa shooting guard Lindsey Meder scored a game-high 22 points and seemed to hit a key basket every time Marquette seemed poised to make a run. Patrice Jennings came off the bench for 16 points and seven boards, while Milwaukee native Jerica Watson pulled down 16 boards for Iowa. Marquette countered with Oldenburg, who was 6-8 from the field, and Johnson, who was 4-7 from three-point land.
?Kristi always has the green light,? Mitchell said. ?She has great range.?
Seffern also helped, with seven points and three boards in her first real game since Marquette?s 61-46 victory at George Mason last Nov. 21. She missed the remainder of last season with a stress fracture on the top of her left foot.
The Golden Eagles make their first road trip of the new season this coming Monday, Nov. 22, when the Golden Eagles take on Drake in a 7 p.m. (CT) game at the Bulldogs? Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
MARQUETTE 69, IOWA 64
IOWA (0-1)Watson 3-10 2-6 8, Magner 1-4 0-0 2, Peterson 3-5 0-1 6, Meder 10-15 0-3 22, Consuegra 2-14 1-1 5, O?Brien 1 2 3-4 5, P. Jennings 6-9 4-4 16, Berdo 0-2 0-0 0, Schrupp 0-0 0-0 0, Bullock 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-63 10-19 64.MARQUETTE (1-0)Oldenburg 6-8 8-12 20, Bowman 1-5 2-4 4, Willenborg 6-20 5-5 17, Johnson 4-9 0-0 12, Oliver 2-12 4-4 8, Gales 0-1 0-0 0, Williams 0-2 1-2 1, Seffern 2-2 3-7 7, Zawodny 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 21-59 23-36 69.Halftime_ Marquette 31, Iowa 30. 3-point goals_Iowa 2-10 (Magner 0-1, Meder 2-4, Consuegra 0-3, Berdo 0-2), Marquette 4-13 (Willenborg 0-2, Johnson 4-7, Oliver 0-2, Gales 0-1, Williams 0-1). Rebounds_Iowa 49 (Watson 16), Marquette 39 (Willenborg 8). Assists_Iowa 13 (Consuegra 6), Marquette 13 (Johnson 5, Oliver 5). Turnovers_Iowa 18, Marquette 11. Fouled out_Iowa (Peterson), Marquette (Willenborg). Total fouls_Iowa 27, Marquette 19. Att_1,875.
