Women's Basketball Ceremoniously Dumps An Old Friend
11/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2000
By DAN MANOYAN of the Journal Sentinel staff
Marquette University presented Abbie Willenborg with a basketball that listed all her records, then the Golden Eagles turned on their former teammate.
Willenborg, Marquette's all-time leading scorer and rebounder returned to U.S. Cellular Arena on Saturday afternoon, but after the brief ceremony at center court, all the smiles disappeared. Marquette roughed up Willenborg's Chicago Challengers squad, 76-66, holding her to nine points and 10 rebounds on 4-of-13 shooting.
"It felt really weird. . . . I was telling people before the game that you should probably be away for a year before you come back," said Willenborg, who is working in marketing for a Chicago construction equipment company after her tryout with the WNBA's Houston Comets. "I guess you lose it a little bit when you're not in the gym every day.
"But the whole point of exhibition games is to make them better, and I think we did that."
The Challengers, a team of former Division I college players that had lost only to De Paul in seven previous exhibition outings, lived up to their name. They led by as many as 10 points (18-8) in the early going before Marquette's pre-season conditioning drills provided the equalizer.
Marquette coach Terri Mitchell went deep into her bench, spreading the playing time among all 13 players, including her five eager freshmen - Kristin Cuff, Katie O'Grady, Becky Stieber, Kelly Schwerman and Crystal Weaver.
All of the newcomers brought something to the table, but perhaps the most impressive was the 6-foot-2 Cuff, who ran the floor well for an inside player, scoring eight points on 4-of-9 shooting in 14 minutes.
Marquette's most improved player on this day was senior forward Ebony Williams, who led the Golden Eagles with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
"I've been working on my defense and shot selection," Williams said.
The Golden Eagles heated up as the game went on, converting 54% of their shots (19 of 35) in the second half after making just 31% (13 of 41) in the first half.
"I think shot selection had a lot to do with it," Mitchell said. "We know we've got a ways to go, but this is about where we expected to be."
Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Nov. 12, 2000.