It’s game time again for the Northwestern women’s basketball team, but tonight’s exhibition contest is just a warm-up.

After going winless in the Big Ten for the second straight year, NU opens up a new season of play — and hopefully, a season with more wins — against the Dominican Republic National Team in a 7 p.m. home contest.

“This exhibition game is a practice, really,” NU head coach June Olkowski said. “We’ll work on some zone, and we’ll have to adjust to whatever they throw at us offensively.”

NU’s offense has been a focal point of preseason training, sophomore guard Samantha McComb said. Now the Cats are ready to test their skills in a competitive setting.

“We spent the summer trying to work on our offense, trying to cut down on turnovers and trying to get more comfortable with each other and with what each other can do,” McComb said.

Tonight the Cats will see just how at ease they are with one another’s style as they head onto the court.

“It’s extremely important just to see how we’ve actually developed playing against people who don’t necessarily know our plays, who don’t know our defense,” sophomore center Sarah Kwasinski said.

One of NU’s new assets is sophomore Kristin Ambrose. Due to NCAA transfer rules, the guard from Virginia had to sit out last season but will be eligible to play this year. Olkowski said Ambrose has turned in impressive performances during practice and is a possible starter for tonight’s game.

“Right now, yes, she’s played well, but nothing’s locked in for anybody,” Olkowski said.

The Cats are also counting on sophomore guard Melissa Culver to improve upon last season’s promising play. Culver led NU in assists and consistently posted double-digit scoring numbers, but struggled with turnovers.

Tonight, NU could benefit from a fatigued Dominican Republic squad. The team is scheduled to play 10 games during its 14-day stay in the United States.

All of the Dominican Republic’s opponents are Midwestern teams, most of which are NU’s Big Ten rivals. Minnesota, Illinois and Purdue already dominated the foreign team, and Michigan and Michigan State will play the squad after the Cats.

The Dominican Republic team is unique, as its roster includes players ranging in age from 15 to 37. Olkowski said the team comes out of an athletic club situation unlike the United States’ college system.

But NU isn’t overlooking the Dominican Republic team, no matter how many candles are on its players’ birthday cakes.

“You can’t really look at age as to whether or not they can play,” McComb said.

Kwasinski added the Cats are used to facing a diverse spectrum of opponents.

“It’s just another team,” Kwasinski said. “Every team’s got to have something different, whether it’s age or experience or whatnot.”

Last season, it was inexperience that caused the Cats to finish 0-16 in conference play. But this year, all but one of NU’s players have at least one season under their belt.

The last time the Cats played an exhibition game, they lost 60-54 to RTU Klondaika — another foreign squad with a wide age range of players.

“Last year we were kind of in the same boat,” McComb said. “(The Dominican Republic squad) is a good, experienced team and has people who’ve been around the game for awhile.”

The Cats know they haven’t won since Dec. 18, 2001. But Kwasinski said her team can overcome any psychological barriers in the way of victory.

“Now we’re playing against ourselves, and we’re going to win,” Kwasinski said. “(Tonight’s) game will give us a foundation to build on.”

Dominican Republic National Team at NU (exhibition)

7 p.m., tonight

Welsh-Ryan Arena