Marquette University Athletics
Red Hot Women's Basketball Opens C-USA Season
1/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2002
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Marquette opens its conference season at the right time. The Golden Eagles are one of the surging teams in Conference USA. With wins in five of their last six contests, the Golden Eagles sport an above .500 record for the first time this season at 7-6. MU tangles with DePaul (7-6) at the U.S. Cellular Arena on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. The game will be carried locally on WMLW-Ch. 41 and WISN 1130 AM.
The Golden Eagles are fresh off their biggest victory of the year, a 56-52 win over 20th ranked Colorado State. In four tries this season, this is the first Marquette win over a nationally ranked team. Marquette held Colorado State to 27.7 percent shooting, the Rams lowest total of the season. As rough of an outing as CSU had, Marquette was the opposite, shooting 48.9 percent. MU was led by Rachel Klug with 13 points. Rashida Gales had her second straight double figure outing with 12 points.
Scouting DePaul
Like Marquette, DePaul comes into Sunday's contest with MU sporting equal 7-6 records. Also like MU, DePaul has faced a difficult non-conference schedule. Unlike Marquette, however, the Blue Demons are not riding the wave of confidence that MU has. DePaul has dropped four of its last five games.
However, when looking at the DePaul losses, it is easy to notice that all six of the Blue Demons setbacks have come at the hands of teams that were or are currently ranked in the top 25. DePaul has suffered defeats by Iowa State, Maryland, George Washington, Purdue, Tennessee and Notre Dame. DePaul head coach Doug Bruno puts his squad through the same non-conference rigors as Terri Mitchell does with Marquette. In the first game of the conference season, it will be interesting to see how the similar strategies play out.
DePaul is down to just eight players due to injuries. However, one of their players, senior guard Lenae Williams, is like having three. Williams averages 23.7 points per game, is one of the nation's leading scorers and is potent from anywhere on the floor.
Possible Starters Marquette Ht Yr PPG RPG 3 Rashida Gales G 5-8 Jr. 4.8 1.9 13 Kristi Johnson G 5-6 Sr. 6.6 2.8 22 Katie Alsdurf G 6-0 Fr. 8.9 3.9 21 Rachel Klug C 6-1 Jr. 13.1 5.9 44 Kristin Seffern F 6-2 Jr. 4.7 3.5DePaul Ht Yr PPG RPG 3 Laura Sobieszczyk G 5-9 Jr. 8.4 3.5 33 Yolanda Lewis G 6-0 Sr. 4.6 2.9 23 Lenae Williams F 6-1 Sr. 23.7 5.8 21 Sarah Kustok F 5-10 So. 8.1 5.1 40 Jamie Smith C 5-4 Jr. 6.4 7.5
Gales Hits Her Stride Stride
Junior guard Rashida Gales (Burnsville, Minn.) worked her way into the starting lineup against Colorado State after a 15 point performance against St. Mary's in the previous outing. Gales start was the 15th of her career, of which 14 came last season. With a 12 point outing against the Rams, Gales has upped her average to 4.8 points per game after a slow start to her season. She missed the first two games of the year rehabilitating from a knee injury. By her play against St. Mary's and Colorado State, Gales has shown no lingering effects of the early season injury.
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 13.1, tops on the team. Klug has scored in double figures eight times this season, tossing in a career high 23 against Dayton and 20 against Saint Mary's. Klug has led Marquette in scoring seven times this season.
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 (100). 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 win. The four three pointers add to Johnson's significant career totals. She currently has 144 three pointers made, trailing Courtney Romeiser for third (152). Johnson was also unselfish against, ASU dishing out six assists. With 301 career assists, she is in ninth all time at MU and trails Beth Ayers for eighth (321).
Schwerman and Double Figures Equals 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.
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 (130) and is second on the squad in scoring at 8.9. Alsdurf set a career high with 19 points against Dayton on Dec. 12. She has been in double figures in scoring six 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 desperation 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 respectively. In Marquette's last two wins, the Golden Eagles have won by four points, but both Saint Mary's and Colorado State had opportunities to tie within the game's final minute.
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 in a double overtime loss to Colorado State, 83-82.
It Has to be the Defense
Marquette is known for its defensive ability. Currently, the Golden Eagles are allowing just 60.4 points per game and have not allowed a team to score 70 points all season. Marquette has kept it's opponents shooting percentages down, allowing the opposition to shoot just 36.7 percent. Against Colorado State, MU held the Rams to its lowest shooting percentage of the season, 27.7.
Mitchell Wins 100th, In Line for All-Time Victory 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 106-54 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, 24 against Colorado State and 23 against Arkansas State and Notre Dame. 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 332 of Marquette's 794 points (41.8 percent).
Rebounding is the 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 Alaska Anchorage) and an 11 rebound advantage (against Arkansas State) this season. Marquette has been outrebounded just once this year. MU holds a 4.2 per game rebound advantage and is 7-3 when outrebounding its opponents.
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 team 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 the Golden Eagles
Marquette currently owns the nation's 19th toughest schedule, according to CollegeRPI.com. Currently, MU's non-conference opponents own a 90-50 record with an average RPI of 75. Conference USA is ranked seventh among all conferences. Marquette is ranked 49th. Tulane leads the conference at 22rd. Marquette is ranked 68th and has a strength of schedule of 26 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.
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.
Rank and File
Marquette has played four teams ranked in the top 25 this season, owning a 1-3 record. MU's 56-52 win over Colorado State on Jan. 2 marked the first time that the Golden Eagles have defeated a ranked team since a victory over 21st ranked Tulane on Feb. 5, 1999.
Miscellaneous Notes ...
Despite tying or outrebounding its opponents on all but two occasions, MU has just two double figure rebounding games by a player this season (Klug 13 vs. La Salle, Klug 11 vs. Saint Mary's) ... 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 ... Conversely, MU set a season low against Notre Dame at 18.5 percent and was hitting 0.0 percent 12 minutes in ... 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 ... Marquette is above .500 for the first time this season ... The last time MU was above .500 was on Nov. 28, 2000, when it was 3-2 after a win over Syracuse ... Freshman guard Katie Alsdurf was scoreless for the first time in her career after not scoring against Colorado State.
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, Kent Sommerfeld and Terri Mitchell bring you the Terri Mitchell Show. Each show will preview upcoming games, feature players and talk everything that is going on with MU basketball. The show is weekly at varying times.
Upcoming Television Schedule
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 WMLW 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 WMLW.
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.
