Feb. 25, 1998
Women's Hoops Preparing for Penn State
Northwestern Wildcats (10-20, 3-13 Big Ten)
vs. Penn State Lady Lions (14-12, 8-8 Big Ten)
Fri., Feb. 27, 1998 - 5 p.m. CST
Big Ten Tournament - First Round
RCA Dome - Indianapolis, Ind.
Northwestern heads to Indianapolis this weekend to face Penn State in the opening round of the Big Ten Postseason Tournament. The Wildcats have won four of the last seven games entering the tournament, but fell Friday at Purdue in the season finale. The winner of the Penn State-Northwestern game will face Illinois in Saturday's quarterfinals at 3 p.m. CST. All Wildcat games during the Big Ten Tournament will be aired live on WNUR 89.3 FM radio, the Northwestern student-operated station.
Series vs. Penn State
Friday will mark the 14th meeting between the two schools, with Penn State holding a 9-4 edge in the series. The Lady Lions won the only meeting between the two teams this season, a 77-70 decision on Jan. 30 in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Series vs. Other Big Ten Schools
Illinois - NU leads 30-9 Minnesota - NU leads 27-9
Iowa - Iowa leads 23-11 Ohio St. - OSU leads 18-14
Indiana - NU leads 24-17 Purdue - PU leads 21-17
Michigan - NU leads 29-9 Wisconsin - NU leads 27-11
Mich. St. - NU leads 20-16
Head Coach Don Perrelli
Don Perrelli (Southern Connecticut State, 1961) is in his 14th season at the helm of the Wildcats and 22nd as a collegiate head coach. He has compiled a 413-236 overall mark and a 238-165 record with the Wildcats. NU has advanced to postseason six times during Perrelli's tenure.
Wildcat Probable Starters
Pos. Name (height, class, hometown) ppg rpg apg
F #35 Kristina Divjak (6-0, Jr., Dyer, Ind.) 21.6 6.1 1.5
F #21 Leslie Schock (6-0, So., Elgin, Ill.) 6.2 5.1 0.8
C #54 Mary Connolly (6-3, Sr (5)., Chicago, Ill.) 5.1 3.8 0.7
G #20 Amber DeWall (5-9, Sr., St. Louis Park, Minn.) 9.4 5.9 6.8
G #24 Megan Chawansky (5-11, Jr., Avon Lake, Ohio) 15.7 5.7 3.5
Off the bench
G #5 Dana Leonard (5-6, Fr., Glenview, Ill.) 5.1 1.2 0.9
G #11 Lisa Byington (5-6, Sr., Portage, Mich.) 1.2 0.4 0.7
F #20 Chala Holland (6-1, Fr., Ardmore, Pa.) 1.5 1.1 0.0
G #22 Clarissa Flores (5-8, Fr., Chicago, Ill.) 3.9 2.0 0.7
G/F #32 Candace Wrenn (5-9, Sr., Austin, Texas) 0.9 0.5 0.3
F #33 Anne Giblin (6-0, Jr., Upper Montclair, NJ) 4.4 2.9 1.1
C #52 Leah Berki (6-1, So., Willowbrook, Ill.) 2.2 2.3 0.3
Divjak Leads the Big Ten in Scoring
All-America candidate Kristina Divjak continues to lead the Big Ten Conference in overall scoring, averaging 21.6 points per game. She also ranks second in the Big Ten in three pointers made (2.6 pg). The last Wildcat to lead the Big Ten in overall scoring was Anucha Browne, who also led the nation in scoring during the 1984-85 season with 30.5 ppg.
Divjak ranks among the conference leaders in six of the 10 Big Ten individual stat categories. She also is third in three-point percentage (.387), fourth in free throw percentage (.853), sixth in defensive rebounding (4.7 pg) and seventh in blocked shots (0.8 pg). Divjak is the only player in the Big Ten to rank in the top seven in six different categories.
Divjak has led the 'Cats in scoring 25 of the season's 30 games, including a season-high 32 points against Loyola-Chicago. She has topped the 20-point mark in 17 contests, including five-straight games, and is one of only two Big Ten players to score in double figures every game this season.
Divjak Hits 200th Three Pointer
On Feb. 13 against Indiana, Kristina Divjak became just the sixth player in Big Ten history to hit 200 three-pointers. The current list: Michele Ratay (NU, 244), Katie Voigt (UW, 227), Katie Smith (OSU, 218), Kristina Divjak (NU, 207);
Kris McGrade (IU, 205) and Marcie Alberts (OSU, 204).
Wildcats Have Both Hoops Scoring Leaders
While Kristina Divjak leads the Big Ten in overall scoring at 21.6 ppg, NU's Evan Eschmeyer leads the Big Ten in men's overall scoring with 21.7 ppg. Only once in Big Ten history has the same school claimed both overall scoring champions (Minnesota's Laura Coenen and Randy Breuer in the 1982-83 season).
DeWall Records First Triple-Double in Northwestern History
Also on Feb. 13 against Indiana, senior point guard Amber DeWall notched the first triple-double in NU history, tallying 11 assists, 11 rebounds and 10 points in the 'Cats win over the Hoosiers. It marked the fourth-straight game she had flirted with the triple-double: 2/6 vs. Ohio State (10p, 10a, 8r); 2/8 vs. Iowa (10a, 9p, 9r); 2/10 vs. DePaul (19p, 8a, 7r).
DeWall currently leads the Big Ten in assists, averaging 6.83 per contest. In Big Ten games only, she leads the conference with 7.20 assists per game. DeWall also leads the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.11-to-1 (198:94) and in conference games only with a 2.57-to-1 (108:42) ratio.
"The Tasmanian Devil in Kneepads"
Junior guard Megan Chawansky possesses an excellent all-around game, averaging 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest this season. She has moved up to 10th in the Big Ten in scoring, while her 27 points against Indiana on Feb. 13 was a season high.
Chawansky was described by Ohio State head coach Beth Burns as "The Tasmanian Devil in Kneepads," referring to her never-say-die style of play.
During the month of February, Chawansky has rediscovered her shooting touch, averaging 18.8 ppg over the last seven games. Also, she is shooting a whopping 52 percent (16-of-31) from three-point range in February. She leads the Big Ten in three-point shooting during conference games only at 43 percent (26-of-60).
Steady Improvement Thru February
The Wildcats play has improved during the past month. After opening the first 22 games at 6-16, NU has posted a 4-4 mark in February. Here's a statistical look:
Category Games 1-22 Games 23-30 Diff.
Scoring Offense 71.0 71.4 +0.4
Scoring Defense 75.7 71.1 -4.6
Scoring Margin -4.7 +0.3 +5.0
NU Rebounds 37.3 38.9 +1.6
Opponent Rebounds 42.5 40.5 -2.0
Rebounding Margin -5.2 -1.6 +3.6
FG Percentage (offense) .415 .434 +0.019
FG Percentage (defense) .450 .415 -0.035
3-Pt. Percentage (offense) .354 .358 +0.004
3-pt. Percentage (defense) .358 .296 -0.062
NU Free Throw Percentage .682 .753 +0.071
Attendance Marks Broken
This season, Northwestern set both single-game and single-season attendance records. The 'Cats drew 17,711 fans this season to Welsh-Ryan Arena, breaking the old mark of 17,672 set last year. The Wildcats set a school single-game attendance record on Jan. 16, when 3,665 fans attended the NU-Wisconsin game. The old single-game mark of 3,416 was set in 1995 against Iowa.
Where They Rank
Here's where NU ranks statistically (Big Ten as of Feb. 23, NCAA as of Feb. 17):
Individual - All Games
Scoring Kristina Divjak (1st Big Ten, 17th NCAA) 21.6 ppg
Megan Chawansky (10th Big Ten) 15.7 ppg
Assists Amber DeWall (1st Big Ten, 10th NCAA) 6.8 apg
A/TO Amber DeWall (1st Big Ten) 2.11-to-1
3pt/gm. Kristina Divjak (2nd Big Ten, 14th NCAA) 2.6 tpg
3pt% Kristina Divjak (3rd Big Ten) .387
FT% Kristina Divjak (4th Big Ten) .853
Amber DeWall (9th Big Ten) .796
D. Reb. Amber DeWall (5th Big Ten) 4.8 drpg
Kristina Divjak (8th Big Ten) 4.7 drpg
Blocks Kristina Divjak (7th Big Ten) 0.8 bpg
Team
Asst/TO Ratio 1st Big Ten 1.00-to-1
3pt/game 2nd Big Ten 5.3 tpg
Assists 3rd Big Ten 15.9 apg
3pt% 3rd Big Ten .354
FT% 4th Big Ten .699
Individual - Big Ten Games Only
Assists Amber DeWall (1st) 7.2 apg
A/TO ratio Amber DeWall (1st) 2.57-to-1
3pt% Megan Chawansky (1st) .433
Kristina Divjak (8th) .368
3pt/gm. Kristina Divjak (2nd) 2.4 tpg
Megan Chawansky (10th) 1.6 tpg
Scoring Kristina Divjak (3rd) 19.9 ppg
Megan Chawansky (9th) 16.9 ppg
FT% Kristina Divjak (t3rd) .864
Blocks Kristina Divjak (7th) 0.9 bpg
Steals Amber DeWall (9th) 1.9 spg
Def. Reb. Kristina Divjak (7th) 4.75 drpg
Amber DeWall (8th) 4.73 drpg
Team - Big Ten Games Only
Asst./TO 2nd (1.03-to-1)
3pt/game 2nd (5.7 tpg)
Assist 2nd (15.3 apg)
FT% 3rd (.723)
3pt% 4th (.354)
NU Career Record Book Update
Career Points Career Assists
6. Amy Prichard (1,533) 1. Nancy Kennelly (892)*
7. Kristina Divjak (1,523) 2. Moira Kennelly (546)
11. Megan Chawansky (1,280) 3. Amber DeWall (534)
Career Three-Pointers Made Career Three-Point Attempts
1. Michele Ratay (244)* 1. Michele Ratay (629)*
2. Kristina Divjak (207) 2. Kristina Divjak (498)
5. Megan Chawansky (108) 5. Megan Chawansky (295)
Career Free Throws Made Career Free Throw Attempts
6. Julie Calahan (337) 6. Michele Savage (489)
7. Megan Chawansky (312) 7. Megan Chawansky (472)
Career Blocked Shots * indicates Big Ten record
8. Karen Stack (50)
9. Kristina Divjak (45)
NU Single Season Record Book Update
Field Goals Made Field Goals Attempted
3. Amy Prichard (246, 80-81) 2. Amy Prichard (559, 80-81)
4. Kristina Divjak (231) 3. Kristina Divjak (526)
Points Scoring Average
2. Julie Calahan (701, 80-81) 1. Anucha Browne (30.5, 84-85)
3. Kristina Divjak (649) 2. Kristina Divjak (21.6)
Three-Pointers Made Three-Pointers Attempted
3. Michele Ratay (79, 96-97) 1. Michele Ratay (207, 95-96)
4. Kristina Divjak (77) 2. Kristina Divjak (199)
10. Megan Chawansky (39) 10. Megan Chawansky (102)
Free Throws Made Free Throw Percentage
9. Michele Savage (124, 91-92) 2. A.M. McNamee (.863, 86-87)
9. Megan Chawansky (123) 3. Kristina Divjak (.853)
Assists Minutes Played
4. Moira Kennelly (200, 91-92) 3. M. Chawansky (1,116, 95-96)
5. Amber DeWall (198) 4. Kristina Divjak (1,103)
Games Started
3. Katrina Hannaford (32, 95-96)
t4. Kristina Divjak, Megan Chawansky (30)
NU Single Game Record Book Update
Free Throw Pct. Free Throws Made
1. Chawansky at OSU (100%)* 1. Chawansky at OSU (14)
Free Throws Attempted Three Point Percentage
t6. Chawansky at OSU (14) 1. Chawansky vs. Ind. (4-4, 100%)
t9. Divjak vs. Minn. (5-7, .714)
Three Pointers Made Three Pointers Attempted
t9. Divjak vs. Minn. (5) t4. Divjak at Michigan (11)
Assists Field Goals Attempted
t7. DeWall vs. Minnesota (12) t3. Divjak at Purdue (24)
t6. Divjak at SW Mo. (23)
t6. Divjak vs. S. Ill. (23)
* Chawansky went 14-for-14, a Big Ten record
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