INDIANAPOLIS — The Wildcats’ women’s basketball team was on a mission Thursday night — to limit the offensive production of Minnesota’s Janel McCarville and Shannon Schonrock in the Cats’ opening-round game of the Big Ten tournament.
If Northwestern (8-20, 1-16 Big Ten) could keep McCarville and Schonrock under their average point and rebound totals, the Cats might have a chance for an upset at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
When the final buzzer sounded, NU had accomplished three-quarters of its mission.
McCarville finished with 15 points less than her average output against NU in two regular season matchups. The 6-foot-2 junior did grab 11 rebounds, two more than her average against the Cats. But her rebounding didn’t have much of an impact on Minnesota’s 68-47 win.
NU neutralized Schonrock, who had only four points and four rebounds in 29 minutes of play.
“We accomplished all of our defensive goals,” said junior point guard Samantha McComb.
So why did the Cats lose?
NU focused on shutting down two players, allowing Minnesota’s other three to run wild.
Kadidja Andersson dominated the inside all night. While NU forwards were busy doubling McCarville, Andersson quietly had an outstanding night. The 5-foot-11 forward scored eight of her 14 points in the first half while grabbing a team-high six boards before the break and 11 total.
“We knew what she could do,” NU coach June Olkowski said. “We planned for what she does, and she still did it.”
When McCarville went down with an injury with 6:14 left in the first half, freshman Jamie Broback stepped in and contributed seven huge points off the bench.
The underclassman utilized a defensive mismatch — the 5-foot-8 McComb was guarding 6-foot-3 Broback — and the Gophers (21-7, 10-7) exploited it to maintain momentum, going into halftime with a 27-18 lead.
Freshman Kelly Roysland also added nine points and a team-high four assists in running the offense after Schonrock left with foul trouble.
But Olkowski defended the Cats’ game plan.
“We absolutely did not overemphasize them,” Olkowski said. “We accomplished what we wanted to do. They made shots, and we didn’t.”
