Marquette University Athletics
La Salle Visits MU For Non Conference Contest
12/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2001
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A return to the U.S. Cellular Arena seemed just to be what was going to bring Marquette out of a two-game skid. The Golden Eagles jumped on 19th ranked Wisconsin in the game's first eight minutes, leading 17-2. However, the Badgers showed why they are 6-1 and among the toughest teams in the nation by erasing a 14 point Marquette lead with 8:29 left. Wisconsin put the defensive pressure on the Golden Eagles, went on a 17-2 game ending run, and handed Marquette its fifth loss of the season.
La Salle visits MU, who now owns a three-game losing streak, the longest of the season. Marquette will attempt to claw its way up from a 2-5 start with its Dec. 8 contest against the Explorers. Tip is at 4 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
About La Salle
La Salle marks the first game for Marquette in which its opponent is both a member of NCAA Division I and has a losing record. La Salle enters Saturday's contest with Marquette owning a 2-4 mark and will not have played a game since a Dec. 1 victory over Hofstra, 54-48.
La Salle brings in a balanced scoring attack. The Explorers, who have hit 38.7 percent on the year, have three 10 point or better scorers. Senior forward Beth Hudak tosses in 15 per game. Senior guard Suzanne Keilty perhaps is the Explorers most potent threat at 10.2 per game. She scored 18 against Hofstra on Dec. 1. Junior guard Bonnie Randa also adds 10.0 points per game.
La Salle is vulnerable to Marquette on the glass. MU might be able to benefit from La Salle's four rebound per game deficit. The Explorers also struggle defensively, allowing its opponents to shoot for a 40.7 percentage.
Possible StartersMarquette Ht Yr PPG RPG 13 Kristi Johnson G 5-6 Sr. 8.1 3.6 22 Katie Alsdurf G 6-0 Fr. 8.1 2.6 21 Rachel Klug C 6-1 Jr. 12.9 4.1 44 Kristin Seffern F 6-2 Jr. 5.7 4.1 40 Crystal Weaver F 5-11 So. 6.7 4.6
La Salle Ht Yr PPG RPG 3 Suzanne Keilty G 5-9 Sr. 10.2 3.0 14 Bonnie Randa G 5-8 Jr. 10.0 3.5 4 Chrissy Walker G 5-11 Jr. 5.2 3.2 54 Kathleen Foley F 6-0 So. 8.2 4.8 24 Beth Hudak F 6-2 Sr. 15.0 6.3
Series History La Salle leads, 1-0. * La Salle 106-88, Dec. 28, 1991.
On The Air WISN 1130 AM, Milwaukee Kent Sommerfeld, Kareeda Chones www.gomarquette.com
Next Up ... The Atlantic 10
After three straight against the Big Ten, Marquette gets to take on a different conference in back to back games. MU's next two opponents come from the Atlantic 10 Conference. Last season, Marquette took on only one team from the A-10 in Dayton. In Terri Mitchell's six seasons at Marquette, the Golden Eagles own a 4-1 record against A-10 teams.
After an 0-4 mark against the Big Ten, MU will look forward to getting away from teams from that league. The Golden Eagles have posted wins over teams from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Horizon League.
Down to the Wire
Marquette has a penchant for making games tight. On three occasions this season has an MU game gone down to the final shot. 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.
Klug Comes to Forefront
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 12.9, tops on the team. Klug has scored in double figures five times this season, tossing in a career high 17 against Michigan State, and 15 Marquette's last two contests. Klug is hitting 52.2 percent of her shots, leading the team amongst those who have a significant number of attempts.
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 (73) and is tied for second on the squad in scoring at 8.1 points per game.
Nothing is as Dependable as KJ
Senior guard Kristi Johnson (Holmen, Wis.) is one element that Marquette can count on game in, game out. In her four seasons, Johnson has not only played, but started in every game of her career. Heading into the 2001-02 season, she had started and played in 87 contests. With seven starts this season, her career totals are 96 in both categories.
Weaver-ing Past the Defense
Sophomore forward Crystal Weaver (Kentwood, Mich.) set a career high with 19 points against Wis.-Milwaukee, beating her previous high of 12 last season against Houston. Weaver hit 8-of-21 shots against the Panthers. She has increased her season average to 8.8 points per game as a result. She currently has a 6.7 scoring average.
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 101-50 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, scoring 20 against Iowa State, 18 against Iowa, 18 against Wis.-Milwaukee, 25 against Michigan and 18 against Michigan State. MU only had 10 points from its bench against Wisconsin, however MU reserves played just 49 of 200 minutes. The Golden Eagle bench has accounted for 157 of Marquette's 426 points (36.9 percent).
Rebounding is Key
The Golden Eagles are best when controlling the boards. Against Alaska Anchorage, Marquette held a 12 rebound advantage over the Seawolves and proved victorious, 88-50. Marquette has been outrebounded just once this season. Last season, Marquette outrebounded its opponents 20 of 29 times. In Terri Mitchell's five previous seasons, Marquette has led Conference USA in rebounding four times.
Scheduling the Nation's Elite
The Golden Eagles look to take on some of the country's best teams this season. Currently, five of Marquette's 2001-02 opponents are either in the ESPN/USA Today or Associated Press rankings. Seven others are receiving votes in one or both of the polls.
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.
Last year's schedule included 14 home contests, games with five NCAA tournament teams - Notre Dame, Brigham Young, Michigan, UAB, and Tulane - from the previous year, and the Conference USA Postseason tournament. Marquette faced the most difficult non conference schedule of any team in C-USA.
Marquette had the 21st-ranked non-conference schedule according to the The Collegiate Basketball News Women's RPI College Basketball Ratings. Marquette non-conference opponents finished 215-119 (.664) and had an average RPI of 78.7. In all, 14 of Marquette's 22 opponents advanced to the postseason, with seven each in the NCAA and WNIT. Notre Dame won the national title, four others won their first round NCAA game.
Miscellaneous Notes ...
Marquette's 88 points against Alaska was the highest total since the Golden Eagles scored 95 at Southern Miss on Feb. 3, 2000 ... Despite tying or outrebounding its opponents on all but one occasion, MU has not had a player with a double figure rebounding game this season ... MU set a season high in shooting percentage against Alaska (52.4 percent) ... Prior to UAA, Marquette was shooting 27.3 percent ... The Golden Eagles struggled in the opening of the second half against Michigan, not scoring in the first four minutes of the half ... Marquette scored just one field goal in the first nine minutes of the half against the Wolverines ... MU had similar troubles against Iowa, not scoring a field goal for 11 minutes in the second half ... the Golden Eagles struggled from the floor against Wisconsin, not hitting a field goal in the last 8:28 ... MU allowed 65 points to three opponents in a row - Wis.-Milwaukee, Michigan and Michigan State ... Marquette had a better shooting percentage than Michigan State, despite losing by two ... Marquette has used five different starting lineups in six games this season ... MU is off to its worst start since 1995-96 in which it started 2-6.
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, a former MU basketball player, 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.
Upcoming Television
Three of Marquette's regular season contests are to be broadcast on television this season. Marquette's home games against Cincinnati and Memphis are to be carried by the C-USA Television Network. The Golden Eagles' game against East Carolina will be aired in Greenville, N.C., on WITN-TV.
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.
