Notre Dame Next Test for Women's Basketball
12/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2000
Notre Dame (9-0) at Marquette (4-5)Dec. 21 * 7 p.m. *?U.S. Cellular Arena (8,946)Radio: WJYI 1340 AM, MilwaukeeCommentators: Kent Sommerfeld, Kareeda ChonesInternet: www.joy1340.com
Radio: WHLY 1620 AM, South Bend, Ind.Commentators: Sean StiresInternet: www.und.com
The third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to Milwaukee to face Marquette. With its no. 3 ranking, the Irish are the highest ranked team to ever play Marquette.
Marquette has a short turn around from a 58-44 loss to Brigham Young on Tuesday in which MU turned the ball over 20 times, which counteracted its 20 offensive rebounds.
The Golden Eagles led early against BYU, but had to play a small amount of catch-up in the second half. Marquette kept BYU within its sights, down four with 5:21 remaining in the game, Marquette was outscored 12-2 to close the game and secure the win for BYU.
Scouting Notre Dame
Marquette will get its toughest challenge of the season on Dec. 21 when Notre Dame visits the U.S. Cellular Arena in the Golden Eagles' penultimate contest of 2000. The third-ranked Fighting Irish are 9-0 and are coming off wins over then then sixth-ranked Purdue, 72-61, and Western Michigan 84-54.
The Irish have lost just once in their last 12 games dating back to last season and have not lost to an unranked foe since Dec. 30, 1998, when Boston College defeated Notre Dame, 78-65.
One reason Notre Dame is so potent is its diversity in scoring. Notre Dame has five players averaging 10-points per game or more -- Alicia Ratay, 16.8, Niele Ivey, 13.9, Ruth Riley, 13.9, Kelley Siemon, 11.0, and Ericka Haney 10.0.
Riley is the focal point of the Notre Dame attack. An All-American last season, Riley has national Player-of-the-Year aspirations. A dominating physical presence, her 6-5 frame makes her one of the most difficult players to guard in the country as noted by her career 63.4 percent field goal shooting.
Marquette is used to having a healthy advantage on its rebounding efforts. Holding Notre Dame to Marquette's opponents average of 34.1 boards per game will be a challenge. Led by Simeon's 7.0 and Riley's 6.6, Notre Dame grabs 39.1 boards per game.
MU's three point field goal defense will need to be at its best if the Golden Eagles are to defeat the Irish. Notre Dame's 56.4 three-point percentage is tops in the nation. As a whole, Notre Dame is shooting 50.9 percent from the field.
Last meeting: Eighth-ranked Notre Dame, on its home floor, beat Marquette 75-60. Three players for both sides had 10-point or more scorers, but the Irish hit 43 percent of its shots and out rebounded Marquette, 48-36, to seal the win.
Series History: Notre Dame leads, 21-6.
Marquette G Kristi Johnson, 5-6, Jr., 6.3 ppg, 2.5 apg G Kelly Schwerman, 5-9, Fr., 5.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg G Heidi Bowman, 6-0, Sr., 16.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg F Kristin Seffern, 6-2, So., 3.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg C Sarah Zawodny, 6-4, Jr., 9.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Notre Dame G Alicia Ratay, 5-11, So., 16.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg G Niele Ivey, 5-8, Sr., 13.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg F Kelley Simeon, 6-2, Sr., 11.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg F Ericka Haney, 6-1, Jr., 10.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg C Ruth Riley, 6-5, Sr., 13.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg
Scouting DePaul
DePaul is Marquette's final contest of the millennium and its first Conference USA opponent of the season. The preseason favorite to win the American Division, DePaul appeared to struggle to start the year from its 1-3 start, but the reality lies in its caliber of its opponents. The Blue Demons started off the year with a 92-54 loss to second-ranked Tennessee. After a 56-point win over Morgan State, DePaul fell to Georgetown in overtime and was exercised by seventh-ranked Iowa State, 81-65.
The Blue Devils have taken two-thirds of three consecutive games against Big Ten opponents. DePaul knocked off Illinois by two after defeating Northwestern by 25. The Demons meet nationally ranked Purdue on Dec. 21.
Preseason All-Conference USA selection LeNae Williams is the Blue Demons biggest scoring threat. At 19.1 points per game, Williams leads DePaul's 75.1 team points per game effort. Candis Blankson scores 10.9 points per game to back up Williams' near 20-points per game output.
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 senior Heidi Bowman should join the 1,000-point club if she maintains her current pace. Just 15 players in Marquette history have scored at least 1,000 points while at MU.
Needing 286 points this season, Bowman has 141 points for a total of 855 career points. Only one season in her career, however, has Bowman scored enough points in a season that would enable her to reach that feat. In 1998-99, Bowman scored 331 points for the season (11.4 points per game). Last season, Bowman scored 258 points. However, Bowman is on pace to score 424 points this season, which would easily eclipse the 1,000-point mark for her. On her current 15.7 points per game pace, Bowman would score her 1,000th career point on Jan. 28th at Saint Louis.
Johnson Aims at Shooting, Assist Marks
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. After a hot shooting, 10-point game against Michigan, Johnson is currently fourth on the all-time three point field goals made list and has moved into fourth on the attempted list. Johnson has 102 career three point baskets and 308 career attempts. Next on the list of three pointers made is Courtney Romesiser with 152. Johnson would have to set a personal season best for three-pointers in a season as she needs 50 to tie Romesiser.
Johnson has moved into fourth in attempts with 308, passing Kiesha Oliver who launched 303 career trifecta attempts. With 168 attempts behind Kristin Maskala, it is unlikely that she will move up another spot this season.
Also within reach for Johnson is the top-10 list for assists. Beginning the 2000-2001 season, Johnson has 215 career assists. Oliver is 10th on the list with 261. Johnson needs 46 dishes to pass Oliver. Also within reach is ninth place. Debbie Stampley currently occupies ninth place with 268. At this point, Johnson is projected to have 60 assists on the year.
Tales of Two Halves
A season long trend with Marquette has been having one very good shooting half and one not so good shooting half. The Golden Eagles are shooting 37.5 percent as a team and are outshooting their opponents (37.2), but have struggled to put 40 solid minutes of shooting together, even in the convincing win over Michigan. So far this season, Marquette has, without exception, put together games in which it shot 40 percent or better in one half and less than 40 percent in another. In its 40-percent-or-better half, Marquette is shooting 48.5 percent (111-229), and in the other halves, the Golden Eagles are shooting 29.3 percent (77-262).
Freshmen Carry Big Weight
With five first-year players on the roster, a lot is expected of the new crew. Four of the five saw significant action in the season opener against Iowa and all five have played significant minutes, with two earning starting time. Crystal Weaver and Kelly Schwerman each earned starts in the Saint Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. Schwerman has started five games in a row.
All five have contributed to the Marquette cause this season, with Becky Stieber, Schwerman and Weaver each averaging at least 14 minutes per game this season. In all, the freshman five have contributed 24 percent of the Marquette scoring, 29 percent of the rebounding and 29 percent of all playing time.
For the Defense
While the offense has been inconsistent through the early portion of the year, the one thing that has been consistent is the MU defense. The nation's 10th best defense and Conference USA's best defense a year ago, the Golden Eagle defense is still stingy, allowing its opponents to shoot just 37.1 percent on the year, the second best total in Conference USA. It's 59.6 points per game allowed is also the second best figure in C-USA.
Last Five Minutes of Play
Many basketball games are decided in the final five minutes of play. In compiling a 4-5 overall record, Marquette has outscored its opponents during the final five minutes of each game by just more than half a point, however it has struggled from the floor. Marquette has scored 13 percent of its total points this season in the last five minutes, down due to a two-point, 1-11 outing against BYU. MU's shooting percentage drops 12 percent in the last minutes of the game.
One oddity of note, Marquette is shooting exactly the same from the free throw line in the final five minutes of action as it is during the entire contest (.679).
Stat MU Per Gm OPP Per GmPoints 71 7.9 65 7.2Field Goals 18-70 .257 21-58 .362Three Point Field Goals 3-33 .090 9-18 .500Free Throws 36-53 .679 36-47 .766Offensive Rebounds 38 3.1 14 1.5Defensive Rebounds 25 2.7 28 3.1Turnovers 20 2.2 19 2.1Assists 8 0.9 13 1.4Steals 10 1.1 7 0.7Blocked Shots 10 1.1 2 0.2Fouls 29 3.2 29 3.2
Home Win Streak Halted
Oregon State and Cincinnati have something in common. They are amongst the select few who have defeated Marquette on its home floor. Oregon State ended MU's 23-game home winning streak with a 64-50 decision on Dec. 2, 2000.
With a 13-0 home record in 1999-2000 and a 2-0 home record in 2000-2001 prior to the OSU loss, Marquette had amassed a 23-game winning streak at home. Marquette suffered its last home loss before the Oregon State decision 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 26 seasons. Marquette is 178-111 all-time at home and is 92-39 (.702) at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
Marquette returned to winning ways against Michigan, upending the Wolverines, 67-58, and will get a chance to start a new streak against Notre Dame on Dec. 21.
In Terri Mitchell's five seasons, Marquette is 47-6 (.887) at home
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.
First Impressions
With the loss to Iowa, Marquette is 13-13 all-time in season-opening c *contests. The Golden Eagles, had won their last three season openers, prior to the road loss to Iowa. 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 5-5. On neutral courts in openers, Marquette is 0-1. In its first road contest of the year, Marquette maintains a 6-20 record all-time. In its first home game of the season, MU has a 16-10 record.
Tournament Play
The Golden Eagles took third place in the lone tournament played thus far in 2000-2001. Marquette fell to Northern Iowa and defeated Southern Utah in the consolation game of the Saint Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. Scoring 20 against Northern Iowa and 15 against Southern Utah, Heidi Bowman was named to the all-tournament team, joining Jerkisha Dosty, Saint Mary's (Most Valuable Player), Jermisha Dosty, Saint Mary's, Nikki Spettel, Northern Iowa, and Sarah Mortenson, Southern Utah.
Marquette holds an all-time record of ? 53-65 in tournament action. The Golden Eagles have won five tournament titles in the history of the program, winning the fifth in last season's OSU Classic.
Marquette Signs Two in Early Signing Period
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.
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.
MU Picked Second 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 Confe 5rence 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.
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 Kareeda Chones. The half-hour show will begin Dec. 20 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.