Marquette University Athletics
Streaking Golden Eagles to Face Defending National Champions
12/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2001
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Marquette is as hot as it has been all season, owning a three-game winning streak heading into a Dec. 22 contest at Notre Dame (1 p.m. EST). Marquette has won its last three games by using superior defense, holding its opponents to a combined 35.2 field goal shooting percentage. MU is two last second shots away from owning a five-game win streak after falling to Michigan State (by two) and 19th-ranked Wisconsin (by one).
Last season, Marquette and Notre Dame met at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The game was very even after the first seven minutes. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a 19-2 lead in the game's early going. The rest of the way, Marquette managed to play with the National Champs, but ended up losing by 19.
About Notre Dame
Marquette and Notre Dame share something in common heading into their Dec. 22 game. Both are at .500 and both have faced difficult schedules. Notre Dame's slate is even at 4-4. The Irish's losses are to Colordo State, Arizona, Michigan and Purdue. All but Arizona are nationally ranked. However, the four losses are already two more than they had all last year.
Gone are Niele Ivey, Ruth Riley and Kelly Siemon. The Irish had to replace 42.2 points per game due to their graduation. In their place, Alicia Ratay has moved into the forefront of the offense. She is just off the team lead at 13.6 points per game, having led the team in scoring on four occassions. Freshman Jacqueline Beattest has become one of her league's standout players, winning three BIG EAST Rookie of the Week Awards. She leads the team with 13.9 points per game and 7.8 boards per contest.
Possible StartersMarquette Ht Yr PPG RPG 13 Kristi Johnson G 5-6 Sr. 8.0 2.9 22 Katie Alsdurf G 6-0 Fr. 9.9 3.7 21 Rachel Klug C 6-1 Jr. 13.7 5.2 40 Crystal Weaver F 5-11 So. 5.8 4.6 44 Kristin Seffern F 6-2 Jr. 5.1 3.5
Notre Dame Ht Yr PPG RPG 4 LeTania Severe G 5-8 So. 9.9 4.0 5 Jeneka Joyce G 5-9 So. 5.6 1.9 22 Alicia Ratay G 6-0 Jr. 13.6 5.6 21 Jacqueline Batteast F 6-1 Fr. 13.9 7.8 31 Amanda Barksdale C 6-3 Jr. 4.5 3.0
Johnson on Her Mark
Senior guard Kristi Johnson (Holmen, Wis.) proved why she is a team leader and has been asked to start in every contest of her career (97). Against Arkansas State, Johnson scored a season high 17 points, hitting 4-of-7 from three point range, to boost MU to a 63-60. The four three pointers add to Johnson's significant career totals. She has 142 three pointers made, trailing Courtney Romeiser for third (152). Johnson was also unselfish against, ASU dishing out six assists. With 290 career assists, she is in ninth all time at MU and trails Beth Ayers for eighth (321).
From Way Downtown
Marquette hit 10 three pointers in its win over Arkansas State, setting a season high. Marquette had not hit more than six prior to its explosion against the Lady Indians.
Schwerman and Double Figures Equals an MU Victory
Sophomore guard Kelly Schwerman (Waukesha, Wis.) came off the bench to score 11 in the Arkansas State win. It was the third time this season that Schwerman has scored 10 or more, and all have resulted in MU victories. She has also scored 11 against Alaska Anchorage and 10 against Wis.-Milwaukee.
Klug Becomes Marquette's Playmaker
Junior forward Rachel Klug (Cedar Grove, Wis.) has stepped up her play early in the 2001-02 season. A career 2.4 points per game scorer heading into the year, Klug has upped her average from a year ago from 3.1 to 13.7, tops on the team. Klug has scored in double figures seven times this season, tossing in a career high 23 against Dayton. An eight point outing against Arkansas State ended a string of five straight double figure games.
All's Well for Alsdurf
Freshman guard Katie Alsdurf (Forest Lake, Minn.) is no stranger to the Marquette offense. She has attempted more shots than anyone else on the team (105) and is second on the squad in scoring at 9.9. Alsdurf set a career high with 19 points against Dayton on Dec. 12. She has been in double figures in scoring five times on the year.
Keeping it Close
Marquette has a penchant for making games tight this season. On four occasions this year has an MU game gone down to the final shot. Despite leading by as many as 16 against Arkansas State, MU held on to win by three. ASU had the ball with two seconds left for a desparation heave to tie. Against Wis.-Milwaukee, the game went down to several shots for UWM at the end of regulation and overtime. MU prevailed in that one, 67-65. Marquette couldn't make last-second shots in games against both Michigan State and Wisconsin, losing by two and one point respectively.
Pouring on the Points
Marquette scored 91 points against Dayton, its highest total since a Feb. 3, 2000, win over Southern Miss, 95-86. Marquette also scored 88 against Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 21, 2001. Last season, Marquette scored only 80 or more points once last season in a double overtime loss to Colorado State, 83-82.
Mitchell Wins 100th, In Line for All-Time Wins Mark
With Marquette's 88-50 win over Alaska Anchorage, MU head coach Terri Mitchell won her 100th career game. In her sixth season, Mitchell is 104-53 and is the fastest MU women's basketball coach to reach 100 wins. Only one other MU women's basketball coach has won 100 games. Tat Sheily had 111 career victories. She won her 100th game in her 217th career game.
Mitchell became the seventh MU coach in the five team sports to reach 100 wins. Mitchell looks to join men's basketball coaches Bill Chandler (193-198), Al McGuire (295-80), Hank Raymonds (126-50) and Mike Deane (100-55), men's soccer coach Steve Adlard (106-80-17, current), as well as Shiely who won 380 times in volleyball and 111 times in women's basketball.
Mitchell became the second winningest coach in Marquette history against Saint Louis last season with her 95th win of her career, passing Jim Jabir who won 94 games in six seasons. With 13 wins in 2001-02, Mitchell will move into first place all-time at Marquette.
Mitchell is also the winningest coach in terms of percentage. In her five previous seasons, Marquette has won 67.3 percent of its games.
From the Pine
Against Alaska Anchorage, Marquette got 48 of its 88 points from its non starters, the most of any game this season. In all this season MU's bench has been productive, also scoring as many as 36 against Dayton, 25 against Michigan and 23 against Arkansas State. MU's smallest bench outing was 10 points against Wisconsin, however MU reserves played just 49 of 200 minutes. The Golden Eagle bench has accounted for 240 of Marquette's 643 points (37.3 percent).
Rebounding is Key
Marquette set a season high with 50 rebounds against La Salle, with 21 offensive boards. In part, rebounding was a big key to the MU win. Rachel Klug set an MU individual season high with 13 boards. MU has had a 12 rebound advantage (against Alaksa Anchorage) and an 11 rebound advantage (against Arkansas State) this season. Marquette has been outrebounded just once this year. MU holds a 5.7 per game rebound advantage.
Statistics Do Lie
Marquette had one of its best statistical games against Michigan State, despite losing, 65-63. The Golden Eagles had their best shooting day against a Division I at that point of the season(42.6 percent) and held MSU to a 30.6 percent shooting effort. Marquette also shot 31.6 percent from three point range, but all of that was not enough to balance MSU's 42 trips to the free throw line.
Tough Schedule for Golden Eagles
Marquette currently owns the nation's 15th toughest schedule, according to CollegeRPI.com. Currently, MU's opponents own a 49.23 record with an average RPI of 77. Upcoming non-conference opponents are 21-13 and have an RPI of 75. Conference USA is ranked ninth among all conferences. Marquette is ranked 78th. Tulane leads the conference at 27th. Marquette is ranked 64th and has a strength of schedule of 10 in the WBCA/Summerville RPI Report.
In all, 17 of MU's 27 opponents advanced to postseason play last year - 11 played in the NCAA Tournament and six went to the WNIT. On the schedule for 2001-02, Marquette meets defending champion Notre Dame. The Golden Eagles also meet with Iowa State, who advanced to the Elite Eight. Saint Mary's, Iowa, TCU, Michigan and Colorado State are MU's opponents this season who advanced to the second round last season.
Miscellaneous Notes ...
Despite tying or outrebounding its opponents on all but one occasion, MU has just one double figure rebounding game this season (Klug 13 vs. La Salle) ... MU set a season high in shooting percentage against Dayton (57.4 percent) ... 10 minutes into the UD contest, Marquette was hitting at a 78.0 percent clip ... Marquette has used five different starting lineups in 10 games this season ... MU had 21 offensive rebounds against La Salle, two short of its season high of 23 vs. Iowa ... Marquette grabbed a season-high 50 rebounds against the Explorers ... the last time MU had 50 boards was on Feb. 23, 2001, in a 67-31 win over Saint Louis.
Hearing the Golden Eagles
All Marquette women's basketball home games and select road games can be heard on the radio or at the Marquette athletics web site. WJYI 1340 AM will broadcast eight contests while WISN 1130 AM will carry seven contests. Play-by-play broadcaster Kent Sommerfeld and analyst Kareeda Chones, bring you all the action.
The Terri Mitchell Show
Saturdays on WISN 1130 AM, The Terri Mitchell Show will air. Kent Sommerfeld and Terri Mitchell will preview upcoming games, feature players and talk everything that is going on with MU basketball. The show returns to the air on Saturday, Dec. 29, airing at 2:30 p.m. The show becomes a weekly feature at that point.
Upcoming Television
Five of Marquette's regular season contests are to be broadcast on television this season. Marquette's home games against Tulane, Cincinnati and Memphis are to be carried by the C-USA Television Network. MU's Jan. 6 contest will be aired locally on WLMW Channel 41. The Golden Eagles' game against East Carolina will be aired in Greenville, N.C., on WITN-TV. That game is pending to be broadcast locally on WLWM.
Contacting Coach Mitchell
Terri Mitchell will be available by phone on Mondays from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (CST) to discuss matchups for the current week and the previous weeks play. Contact women's basketball administrative assistant Monica Schwarz at (414) 288-5784 to make arrangements to speak with Mitchell during that time. For in person or radio interviews, contact assistant SID Blain Fowler at (414) 288-6980 for arrangements.
