The Northwestern women’s basketball team may not have had a real shot at taking the Big Ten tournament last March, but that doesn’t mean the season’s final game is just a faint memory.
“That’s definitely in the back of your mind,” guard Dana Leonard said of the 72-39 loss to Michigan that eliminated the Wildcats from the postseason last year.
During that farewell game, NU shot a mere 29 percent from the field, and the starting lineup combined for just 16 points.
“All postseason and over the summer I was remembering my last game,” Leonard said. “But that’s more incentive to come out with fire and attack them (this time).”
Michigan (9-7, 2-4 Big Ten) visits NU tonight at Welsh-Ryan Arena for their first rematch since the Wolverines booted the Cats from the tournament quarterfinals. And given the team’s play of late — it has lost 10 of its last 11 games since starting the season 3-1 — NU is fortunate that less is on the line this time around.
What is at stake, however, is a first Big Ten win. Three weeks into the conference season, NU (4-11, 0-5) is one of only two teams still in search of their first conference victory. In fact, the greater challenge for the Cats tonight may not be facing Michigan on the court, but concealing a longing glance toward the weekend — NU faces fellow bottom-feeder Minnesota on Sunday.
Regardless, after a brutal loss to Purdue over the weekend, the Cats are sorely in need of a win, as much for team morale as for their winning percentage, which is shrinking exponentially.
“The frustration level is high enough for us,” center Leslie Dolland said. “Hopefully we can use our frustration to our advantage and not to our disadvantage. I can see in everyone’s eyes that we’re pumped up to play this team and get a win in the Big Ten.”
Leonard carries a more personal incentive into the game. Playing on the Big Ten all-star squad over the summer, the senior teamed with Wolverines center LeeAnn Bies and guard Infini Robinson under Michigan coach Sue Guevara.
“I know their coach really well, and I know some of their players,” Leonard said. “It’s fun to see them again — it’s all fun and games before the game. But when it starts, it’s all business.”
Michigan returns three of last year’s five starters, including junior forward Raina Goodlow and senior guard Anne Thorius. Goodlow has been scoring more than 10 points per game, while Thorius needs only nine points to hit the 1,000-point plateau. The milestone would make her the only player in Michigan history to record both 1,000 points and 400 assists.
The Cats will use a man-to-man defense against the pair, drawing up a zone to cover the rest of the court.
“Those players make the team run,” said Dolland, who’s averaging 8.5 points per game. “If we can stop them I’m pretty sure we can stop the fluidity of their offense.”
The Wolverines are also on a rebounding roll, dominating their last two opponents on the glass by an average of 15 boards. The game may come down to that stat — one of the Cats’ most glaring weaknesses this season has been rebounding.
“It’s going to be a tough game because they’re really hard workers, and they’re going to be ready for us,” Leonard said. “But we’ll be ready for them.”
While NU guard Emily Butler has been falling off her 13-points-per-game pace the last week, forward Tami Sears is regaining the form that helped her lead the Cats in both scoring and rebounding last season.
NU’s best hope is to capitalize on Michigan’s recent skid. The Wolverines have lost four of their last five games, although that stretch includes a win against No. 13 Penn State.
“I’m basically looking at this game as an opportunity to take advantage of playing at home,” Dolland said. “That’s something we haven’t done at all this year.”
