Marquette University Athletics
Women's Basketball to Tip Off Exhibition Season
11/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MILWAUKEE, Wis. ? The 2003-04 Marquette women's basketball team will get its first shot at game action on Sunday, Nov. 9. Marquette will take on the Wisconsin AAU Viking club, made up of former college and professional players. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip off at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
After three weeks of practice, Marquette will have the opportunity to gauge its early season progress. It will be taking on a formidable opponent in Wisconsin AAU. Last season, Marquette and Wisconsin AAU staged a thrilling contest, that the Golden Eagles won, 74-71.
"Our practices have been so physical, it will be good to play someone other than ourselves," head coach Terri Mitchell said. "Exhibition games are great in terms of evaluating where you stand. We know that there is a lot of work ahead of use and this will be a good indicator of where we need to improve and where we need help."
Marquette's staff and returning players are familiar with many of the faces on Wisconsin AAU. Former Marquette standout Kiesha Oliver-Hayes, a four year letterwinner at Marquette, is on the roster. Several other players return from last year's game, including Anna DeForge, a 17-point scorer in last year's meeting, and Karie Cattanach.
Wisconsin AAU also features a legend on its team for 2003. Hall-of-Fame member Nancy Lieberman joins the 11-player roster. Lieberman was an all- american at Old Dominion University, playing from 1976-1980. She played professional for the Dallas Diamonds from 1981-1984. She was elected to the New York Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 and also served as a coach, player and general manager in the WNBA.
"This Wisconsin AAU team is a experienced squad with players that have a lot behind their names," Mitchell added. "Having the opportunity to play against Nancy Lieberman is great. It's a wonderful opportunity for our players who may have watched her growing up. It's not often you get a chance to play against a Hall of Fame member."
Marquette is coming off a successful 2002-03 season. The Golden Eagles were 16-14 and advanced to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Marquette returns three starters, Carolyn Kieger and Kelly Schwerman and Crystal Weaver. The Golden Eagles set school records for three-point shooting and free throw shooting in 2002-03. Schwerman set the single season three-point record for an individual and Kieger set the school record for free throw shooting.
The Golden Eagles also competed in a four-game exhibition tour of Italy last May. Playing some of the top teams in the country, MU went 3-1.
One exhibition contest remains on the schedule. MU will play the Netherlands National Team on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The regular season gets underway on Saturday, November 22 against Drake at 2 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena.
