Marquette University Athletics
Women's Basketball Heads to Maine for Tournament
11/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Upcoming Games
Fri., Nov. 29 vs. Oakland; Orono, Maine; 1 p.m. EST
Sat., Nov. 30 vs. Columbia or Maine; Orono, Maine; 1 or 3 p.m. EST
Marquette hits the road for the first time this season, taking part in the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine. The Golden Eagles open up against Oakland in the first round on Saturday, November 29 at 1 p.m. (EST). Maine hosts Columbia in the second first-round contest following the MU-OU game. The tournament?s consolation is on Sunday, November 30 at 1 p.m. (EST) and the final follows at 3 p.m. (EST).
Marquette was solid on the road all of last season, posting a 10-6 mark outside of Milwaukee. MU is also trying to win its second regular season tournament title in as many years. Last season, the Golden Eagles defeated Chicago State and Georgia State to win the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Invitational.
Scouting Oakland
Oakland brings a 1-1 record to its contest with Marquette. The two teams will be meeting for the first time in school history.
Oakland has one key player leading the way statistically for the team. Guard Jayme Wilson is averaging 20.0 points per game through two outings. She has a 25 point game against Boston College and 15 point outing against Central Michigan. It has been her sharpshooting that has led her to the high scoring outings. She is 14-of-27 on the year from the floor (51.9 percent) and has hit an amazing 9-of-12 of her three pointers (75.0 percent.).
The Golden Grizzlies also have a strong bench presence. Petra Manakova is the team?s second leading scorer. In 23 minutes per game, she has 11.0 points per game.
Sparked by Wilson?s hot outside shooting, the Grizzlies are a very solid shooting team from the outside. Oakland is hitting 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from long range this season.
Head coach Eileen Shea-Hillard is in her second season at Oakland. She owns a record of 14-17.
On the Air: The game will not be broadcast.
Possible Starters
Marquette Ht Yr PPG RPG 2 Carolyn Kieger G 5-8 So. 13.5 2.531 Kelly Schwerman G 5-9 Sr. 12.0 1.024 Danielle Kamm F 6-2 Fr. 7.0 4.544 Crystal Weaver F 5-11 Sr. 6.5 7.034 Christina Quaye C 6-2 Fr. 10.5 4.5
Oakland Ht Yr PPG RPG 10 Anne Hafeli G 5-9 So. 10.0 2.013 Leigh Tully G 5-10 Jr. 2.0 1.021 Jayme Wilson G 5-8 So. 20.0 4.044 Sarah Yaksich F 6-1 Sr. 3.0 3.050 Amanda Batcha F 6-0 Jr. 6.0 5.5
Series History
Have never met.
Scouting Columbia
Columbia is 1-1 heading into the tournament. The Lions open up with Maine in the first round before its potential matchup with Marquette. The Lions and Golden Eagles are scheduled to meet later in the year. MU hosts Columbia on January 4 in the first game in the Al McGuire Center.
Sue Altman has started the season on fire, scoring 18.5 points per game. The Columbia offense runs through her. Her success has come in getting to the line. She has already taken 20 free throws, making 15 (75.0) percent.
Edyette Key is the Lions hope on the glass. Not a starter, she grabs 11.0 rebounds per game in the young season.
The Lions aren?t the most accurate team, hitting just 25.0 percent from the floor through two games. What they can do well is rebound. Columbia has grabbed an average of 53.0 boards in each of its first two games.
Head coach Jay Butler is looking for his 100th career win with CU?s next victory. He has a career mark of 99-209 in 14 seasons. He is 56-130 in eight seasons at Columbia.
On the Air: Should Marquette and Columbia meet, the game will not be broadcast.
Possible Starters
Columbia Ht Yr PPG RPG 10 Lizzi Chorney G 5-4 Sr. 5.0 4.033 Nicole Lesko G 5-10 Jr. 8.0 11.034 Sue Altman G 5-9 Sr. 18.5 6.522 Adia Revell F 5-11 Jr. 0.0 4.042 Erin Jaschick F 6-1 Jr. 4.5 6.5
Series History
Have never met.
Scouting Maine
In two games, forward Heather Ernest has put forth two outstanding contest. She scored 32 points against Hawaii and tossed in 27 points prior to that against Washington.
Her success is a direct correlation to her ability to score inside. She makes a quality shot for herself and is accurate on top of that. She has hit 65.6 percent of her shots on the year. Ernest is also accurate on the glass, grabbing 9.0 rebounds per game to go with her 29.5 points per game.
The Blackbears can also hit from the outside. The team has hit 41.0 percent of its threes, led by 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from reserve guard Ashley Underwood.
Maine is taking part in its second-straight tournament. The Blackbears scored 70 points in each outing, but surrendered 82 to Washington and finished third in the Rainbow Wahine Invitational after defeating Hawaii.
Head coach Sharon Versyp is in her fourth season as a head coach, all at Maine, and owns a 54-35 career record.
On the Air: Should Marquette and Maine meet, the game will be broadcast locally WZON AM 620. Scott Sassone and Clem Labree will call the action. It is available on the internet at www.zoneradio.com.
Possible Starters
Maine Ht Yr PPG RPG 1 Melissa Heon G 5-9 Sr. 7.5 6.0 5 Missy Traversi G 5-7 Jr. 4.5 1.511 Heather Ernest F 6-1 Sr. 29.5 9.023 Julie Veilleux F 6-1 Sr. 9.0 2.015 Nicole Jay C 6-6 Jr. 1.5 2.5
Series History
Have never met.
Off to a Hot Start
Marquette is 2-0 for the first time in 11 years. The last time Marquette won its first two contests was in the 1992-93 season, when it defeated Notre Dame and James Madison to open the year.
In the 28 previous seasons, MU has gone 2-0 just two other times. Only once has the team won more games to open the season. In the 1979-90 season, the Golden Eagles opened up 4-0.
Quaye Not Quiet Against Evansville
It took just two games for a Marquette freshman to make a considerable impact on a game. Forward Christina Quaye scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in MU?s win over Evansville, 71-55. She scored 11 of those 15 points in the first 10 minutes of the contest.
Freshmen Making an Impact
Marquette starts a pair of freshmen and all three first-year players are making an impact. Forwards Christina Quaye and Danielle Kamm serve as starters and are scoring 10.5 and 7.0 points per game respectively. Including forward Jasmine McCullough?s time off the bench, MU freshmen have contributed 91 of the 400 minutes this season.
Coming up Big
Sophomore guard Carolyn Kieger sank two of the biggest free throws of her career in the 60-57 win over Drake. Her two shots came with 8.7 seconds left, putting Marquette up by three. On the previous possession, she hit a running layup to regain the lead for Marquette. Kieger scored the final four points of the contest, while Marquette scored the last seven.
Shouse Shines in Season Openers
Sophomore center Sarah Shouse set a career best with seven points against Drake. She was 3-of-4 from the floor in her 11 minutes of action. Her previous career best was five points in the season opener last year against Dayton.
Moving to the Al
The 2003-04 season marks the end of Marquette women?s basketball at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The Golden Eagles will play half the season at the Arena and move to the Al McGuire Center on January 4, 2004, in a game against Columbia. Marquette has three games left in the U.S. Cellular Arena and one at Wisconsin Lutheran Field House.
In Tournament Action
Marquette owns a 59-69 record in tournament play over 28 previous seasons. The Golden Eagles have six tournament titles, including a 2002 title in the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Invitational. Marquette has won its last three regular-season tournament games. Prior to the win in the Atlanta Invite, MU won the third place game of the Great Alaska Shootout over Alaska Anchorage two seasons ago.
From Long Range
Last season, Marquette set a single season record for three-point percentage as a team, hitting 38.1. The team returned its top two long-range shooters from a year ago, guards Carolyn Kieger and Kelly Schwerman. Schwerman set the single season mark at 42.7 percent; Kieger trailed at 42.6. The Golden Eagles are currently hitting 18.2 percent from three-point range this season.
Long Ball Defense
Marquette shut down Drake for the first 20 minutes from beyond the three point arc. While giving up a very respectable 2-of-17 three pointers for the game, MU held Drake to 0-of-10 for the first half.
Double Digits on the Glass
Senior forward Crystal Weaver grabbed 10 boards against Drake. Last season, Weaver was Marquette?s top rebounder at 5.9 boards per game. She hit double figures in rebounds four times last year. She currently has five career 10+ rebound games.
Success From the Line
The Golden Eagles set a new mark last season from the free throw line, hitting 76.7 percent. That trend continued to begin the 2003-04 season. Marquette is currently hitting 79.6 percent from the line this season.
What Winning the First Game Means
While not scientific proof of the measure of a season, the result of the first game can prove to be an indicator of the remainder of the season. In MU?s history it has won the opening game of the season 14 previous times and has had nine above .500 seasons following. It has also had five below .500 seasons after a season opening win.
Following a season opening loss, Marquette had just four winning seasons, while having nine losing seasons and one .500 year. However, last year was the exception, rather than the rule. After losing to Dayton, Marquette posted a 16-14 season.
Return to the Post-Season
Marquette made its eighth post-season appearance and the first in three seasons in 2002-03. The Golden Eagles had been in the NCAA Tournament six times and dave one previous NIT appearance. In Terri Mitchell?s tenure, Marquette had been to the post-season four previous times, all NCAA appearances. Marquette had one other appearance in the then-titled NWIT, winning a first round game over Northwestern State in 1992-93, losing in the semifinals to eventual champion Arkansas State, and falling in the fourth-place game to Florida International. Marquette won its first postseason game since a victory over Clemson in 1996 when it beat Toledo in the first round of the WNIT.
MU Sets Record Win Streak in 2002-03
Prior to its loss to Memphis on Jan. 24, 2003, Marquette had won six games in a row away from home, marking the first time in school history that such a feat has happened. Marquette had won five in a row four previous times, in 1997-98 and once each from 1991-92 to 1993-94. Marquette finished the year 10-5 on the road.
Kieger Nationally Ranked from the Line
Guard Carolyn Kieger was the 17th best free throw shooter in the nation in 2002-03. Her average of 87.5 percent was the best single season performance in Marquette women?s basketball history.
Marquette Picked Eighth in Preseason C-USA Coaches Poll
TCU, which captured the 2003 C-USA Tournament title, and DePaul have both been chosen by the 14 C-USA head coaches to win the 2003-04 regular season title. Marquette, which finished in a tie for seventh last year, was selected to finish eighth in 2003-04.
After TCU and DePaul, Cincinnati was selected third, Charlotte fourth, Houston fifth, Tulane sixth and Louisville is seventh. Following MU in the eighth spot is Memphis, Saint Louis, East Carolina, Southern Miss, UAB and USF.
Golden Eagles to be Heard on WJYI and WISN
Every Marquette home game and select MU road games can be heard on WJYI 1340 AM or WISN 1130 AM. All contests can be heard on the world wide web via Marquette?s internet site at www.gomarquette.com. Thirteen MU telecasts will be carried on WJYI 1340 AM. In addition, two regular season broadcasts will be carried on WISN 1130.
The Terri Mitchell Show
Tuesday nights at 7 p.m., WJYI 1340 AM will carry ?The Terri Mitchell Show.? In its sixth year, host Kent Sommerfeld and head coach Terri Mitchell will highlight the previous weeks? action, player features, interviews and a listener call-in period. The first show of the series will air on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. The show will air three times in the rest of November and December (Nov. 18, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16). Beginning January 13, the show will air weekly through March 2.
The Golden Eagles on TV
Currently, three Marquette games are scheduled to be aired on television. The Conference USA Television Network will team up with WMLW-Ch. 41 to carry two regular-season C-USA games. MU hosts Louisville at 1 p.m. on Jan. 11 in the first C-USA TV telecast. The Golden Eagles host DePaul on February 29 for a 2 p.m. start in the second C-USA broadcast of the year. MU and DePaul also meet on February 8 in a regional telecast on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. More television dates will be announced as the season progresses.
