Women's Basketball Visits Iowa For Season Opener
11/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2000
Marquette at Iowa Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 8 p.m. Iowa City, Iowa
After a pair of wins in the exhibition season, Marquette turns its focus to games that count in the overall season standings. The Golden Eagles open up the 2000-2001 season by visiting Big 10 foe Iowa in Iowa City. The game is scheduled in conjunction with a volleyball match. The basketball game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the Iowa/Michigan State volleyball match.
SCOUTING IOWA
Iowa defeated the Mexican National Team, 86-83, in its lone preseason contest, breaking a four-year exhibition losing streak for the Hawkeyes. Four players paced Iowa with double digits in scoring. Jennie Lillis, a freshman, led the Hawkeyes in scoring versus Mexico with a 24-point output. Junior Lindsey Meder scored 17 and senior Cara Consegura and junior Leah Manger tossed in 14 in the victory.
Meder led the Hawkeyes in scoring a year ago with 19.1 points per contest, Consegura was second with 14.6 points per outing. The Hawkeyes struggled through most of 1999-2000, amassing a 9-18 record. Only on two occasions did the Hawkeyes have winning streaks, taking a pair of games in late November and winning a set of three late in February.
The Hawkeyes, however, are under a new direction. Head coach Lisa Bluder is in her first season guiding Iowa. Bluder enters her 17th season as a head coach, winning over 70 percent of her career games. She holds a 356-142 record entering this season. Bluder comes to Iowa from Drake, where she was successful for 10 seasons. Winning three conference titles, Bluder was 187-106 with Drake.
Last season: Marquette downed Iowa 69-64 in the season opener for both teams. MU's Lisa Oldenburg led all scorers with 20 points. Lindsey Meder proved a force on the glass, pulling down 22 rebounds.
Series History: Marquette leads, 1-0.
POSSIBLE STARTERSMarquette Ht. Yr. 1999-2000 Stats G Kristi Johnson 5-6 Jr. 7.6 ppg, 3.0 apg G Heidi Bowman 6-0 Sr. 8.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg F Ebony Williams 6-0 Sr. 3.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg F Kristin Seffern 6-2 So. 1.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg C Sarah Zawodny 6-4 Jr. 4.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg
Iowa Ht. Yr. 1999-2000 Stats G Cara Consegura 5-8 Sr. 14.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg G Lindsey Meder 5-8 Jr. 19.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg F Leah Manger 5-10 Jr. 5.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg F Jennie Lillis 6-1 Fr. -- C Randi Peterson 6-2 Sr. 6.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg
LAST SEASON
Marquette advanced to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of a 22-7 record. Its 14-2 mark in Conference USA earned it the C-USA regular season crown.
The year started off with Marquette winning seven of its first eight contests. At three different times during the season did the Golden Eagles have extensive winning streaks -- one of five, one of six and one of eight.
Three seniors led the way for Marquette. Abbie Willenborg, Lisa Oldenburg and Kiesha Oliver were the focal point of the team, scoring 60 percent of the points. The trio also became 1,000-point scorers during the course of last season with Willenborg becoming the all-time leader in scoring and rebounding for Marquette.
Defense was the name of the game for the Golden Eagles as they led the conference in field goal percentage defense, holding their opponents to a 36.4 shooting pace. That total was good for 10th in the nation. Marquette also led the conference in offensive rebounding and blocked shots.
MARQUETTE PICKED SECOND IN AMERICAN DIVISION BY C-USA COACHES
The two-time defending regular season Conference USA Champion Marquette women's basketball team is picked second in the American Division by the league's 12 coaches, the conference office announced.
Marquette, who went 22-7 overall and 14-2 in Conference USA play, trails DePaul in the American Division. The Golden Eagles return two starters from that team -- senior Heidi Bowman and junior Kristi Johnson. Bowman averaged 8.9 points a year ago, while Johnson scored 7.6 points per game and added 3.0 assists per game. Bowman and Johnson are part of a squad that has won back-to-back regular season Conference USA titles and has made four-straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Last season, Marquette split its games with DePaul. The Blue Demons are coming off an 18-12 year overall with a 10-6 conference record. DePaul returns all five of its starters, including preseason All-C-USA forward Lenae Williams.
Tulane, coming off its sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and second consecutive conference tournament championship, is the favorite to win the National Division and Conference USA. The Green Wave return three starters -- Sarah Goree, Kelly Scanlon and Janell Burse -- who averaged a combined 30.4 points per game last year.
Picked second in the National Division, UAB is led by Preseason Player of the Year in Conference USA, Deanna Jackson. Jackson averaged 19.0 points and 11.7 rebounds as she led the Blazers to the NCAA Sweet 16.
PRESEASON COACHES POLLAmerican Division 1. DePaul 2. Marquette 3. Cincinnati 4. Charlotte 5. Louisville 6. Saint Louis
National Division 1. Tulane * 2. UAB 3. Memphis 4. Southern Miss 5. Houston 6. South Florida
* Conference Champion
Preseason All-C-USA
Deanna Jackson, F, UAB * Janell Burse, C, Tulane Lenae Williams, F, DePaul Tiffany Adkins, F, Memphis Tonya Phifer, G, Charlotte
* Preseason Player of the Year
HOME SWEET HOME
With a 13-0 home record in 1999-2000, Marquette has amassed a 21-game winning streak at home. Marquette suffered its last home loss on Jan. 1, 1999, a 61-58 defeat at the hands of Cincinnati.
Heading into the 2000-2001 season, Marquette has won 62 percent of all its home games in its 25 previous seasons. Marquette is 176-110 all-time at home prior to this season and is 90-38 (.679) at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
In Terri Mitchell's four previous seasons, Marquette is 44-5 (.900) at home.
1,000-POINT CLUB
Last season, three Marquette players -- Abbie Willenborg, Lisa Oldenburg and Kiesha Oliver -- ended their careers with over 1,000 points. This season, with a little work, senior Heidi Bowman could join the 1,000-point club. Just 15 players in Marquette history have scored at least 1,000 points while at MU.
Bowman has 714 career points and needs 286 points to reach that plateau. Only one season in her career, however, has Bowman scored that many points. In 1998-99, Bowman scored 331 points for the season (11.4 points per game). Last season, Bowman scored 258 points.
1,000-Point Scorers 1. Abbie Willenborg 1997-2000 1,818 15. K. Christianson 1986-89 1,002 Heidi Bowman 1999-pres. 714
THREE-POINT MASTER, PASSING WIZARD
Junior Kristi Johnson has her sights on moving up on the all-time Marquette lists for a pair of shooting records and one for assists. Currently, Johnson is fourth on the all-time three point field goals made list and sixth on the attempted list. Johnson has 93 career three point baskets and 268 career attempts. Next on the list of three pointers made is Courtney Romesiser with 152. Trailing Romesiser by 59, Johnson would have to set a personal season best for three pointers in a season as she needs 59 to tie Romesiser.
Johnson is also sixth in attempts with 268. Next on the list is Kerri Reaves, who attempted 287 treys in her career. Also within reach is Kiesha Oliver who launched 303 career trifecta attempts.
Also within reach for Johnson is the top-10 list for assists. Beginning the 2000-2001 season, Johnson has 193 career assists. Oliver is 10th on the list with 261. Johnson needs 69 dishes to pass Oliver. Also within reach is ninth place. Debbie Stampley currently occupies ninth place with 268.
Three-point FGs made 1. Lori Goerlitz 1992-95 223 3. Courtney Romeiser 1990-93 152 4. Kristi Johnson 1999-pres. 93Three-point FGs attempted 1. Lori Goerlitz 1992-95 662 5. Kerri Reeves 1992-95 287 6. Kristi Johnson 1999-pres. 268
Assists 1. Joan Pitroff 1987-90 689 9. Debbie Stampley 1980-83 268 10. Kiesha Oliver 1997-2000 261 Kristi Johnson 1999-pres. 193
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Marquette is 13-12 all-time in season-opening contests. The Golden Eagles, however, have won their last three season openers to bring the record above .500. Last season, Marquette knocked off Iowa 69-64 in the beginner in Milwaukee. In games at home to open the season, Marquette is 8-7. When opening on the road, Marquette is 5-4. On neutral courts in openers, Marquette is 0-1.
In its first road contest of the year, Marquette maintains a 6-19 record all-time.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
The Marquette women's basketball team pursues a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament with a schedule that includes 14 home contests, games with five NCAA tournament teams -- Notre Dame, Brigham Young, Michigan, UAB, and Tulane -- from a year ago, and the Conference USA Postseason tournament. Marquette faces the most difficult non conference schedule of any team in C-USA.
"We've had an outstanding schedule in previous years, and this year is no different," head coach Terri Mitchell stated.
MARQUETTE SIGNS TWO TO LETTERS OF INTENT
Katie Alsdurf and Lesley Juedes signed national letters of intent with Marquette. Alsdurf and Juedes will join the Marquette women's basketball team for the 2001-2002 season.
Alsdurf, a 6-foot guard from Forest Lake High School in Forest Lake, Minn., is a three-time all-state performer and is the backbone of her high school team. Playing for Jen Hesse at Forest Lake, Alsdurf has been named a Player-of-the-Year candidate in Minnesota, an Honorable Mention All-American in 1999 and 2000 by Street & Smith and an Honorable Mention All-American by USA Today. Alsdurf is also ranked 58th by the All Star Girls Report. An exceptional student, Alsdurf is the top student in her class of 558 and plays AAU for Brian Frye with the Burnsville Blaze. She chose Marquette over Notre Dame, Penn State and Georgia.
"Katie is one of the most competitive players I've ever recruited," Marquette head coach Terri Mitchell said. "She's a winner. She has a fire about her.
"(Alsdurf) gives us more size on the perimeter and a greater scoring threat," Mitchell added. "She's an immediate scoring threat and is very athletic."
Juedes, a 6-foot-1 forward from Ripon High School in Ripon, Wis., is her school's fourth leading scorer all-time and should be Ripon's all-time scorer after her senior season. Playing for Sheri Quamme, Juedes scored 19.8 points per game (a Ripon single-season record), 10.6 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game as a junior. A two year starter, Juedes has been Ripon's MVP for the last two years, was first-team All-Conference in that same time period, and was first-team All-Area and Conference Player of the Year as a junior. Juedes was also a first-team All-State selection in 2000 by Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook.
"Lesley's a great inside-outside player," Mitchell said. "She had a breakthrough summer and has shown an ability to score inside. She's also a great passer and can set people up with her passing ability."
An AAU-All American on the 16 and under team, Juedes led Wisconsin Viking Club Velocity to a fifth place finish in the AAU 16 and under national tournament.
"She's a great athlete, runs the floor really well, and gives Marquette another dimension," said Keith Noll, Director of the Wisconsin Viking Club AAU program. "She can put the ball on the floor and go to the basket, which a lot of big girls can't do."
Mitchell said she was pleased with her signing class.
"We needed to address size needs and getting more scoring on the perimeter," Mitchell said. "I think we were able to meet our needs with Lesley and Katie."
ON THE AIR
Two stations will alternate airing Marquette women's basketball contests this season. The Golden Eagles can be heard on WJYI 1310 AM and on WISN 1130 AM in the Milwaukee area. Five broadcasts are scheduled for WISN, while nine contests will be broadcast by WJYI. The postseason tournament and other postseason games will be aired as well, with broadcast times and stations to be determined at a later date.
Play-by-play reporter Kent Sommerfeld and analyst Kareeda Chones describe the action on both stations. A complete list of games carried is included with this note.
Also, broadcast games can be heard over the internet. Games on WJYI games will can be accessed on www.joy1340.com and WISN games will be carried on www.radio1130online.com. All broadcast games can be accessed on the Marquette website at www.gomarquette.com.
"The Terri Mitchell Show" will be aired at 5 p.m. on WISN and will begin on Nov. 12. Kent Sommerfeld and Terri Mitchell analyze and discuss Marquette Women's Basketball on the half-hour show.
"The Eagle's Edge," a television show, will be carried on MSC with host Bob Brainerd. The half-hour show will begin late in December and air on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m.
ON THE WEB
All Marquette women's basketball information will be available on the official website of Marquette athletics, www.gomarquette.com.
Notes, stories, features, recaps and radio broadcasts can be accessed by pointing your browser at www.gomarquette.com.
CONFERENCE USA STANDINGSAmerican Division Pl. Team C-USA Overall 1. Charlotte 0-0 0-0 Cincinnati 0-0 0-0 DePaul 0-0 0-0 Marquette 0-0 0-0 Louisivlle 0-0 0-0 Saint Louis 0-0 0-0
National Division Pl. Team C-USA Overall 1. Tulane 0-0 1-1 Houston 0-0 0-0 Memphis 0-0 0-0 South Florida 0-0 0-0 Southern Miss 0-0 0-0 UAB 0-0 0-0