By Danny Daly

Just when it looked like Northwestern had its first road victory of the season all wrapped up, Clemson snatched victory from the claws of defeat and prevailed in a 78-75 overtime thriller at Littlejohn Colisseum. It was the third straight game in which the Wildcats blew a lead late in the second half.

Up three points with just five seconds left and junior point guard Jenny Eckhart on the line shooting two, NU (2-6) seemed to have the game won.

But Eckhart, a career 74 percent free-throw shooter, missed both tries. Clemson forward Lele Hardy connected from long range with one second remaining to send the game into overtime. The Cats had a chance to force a second overtime, but senior guard Erin Dickerson’s 3-pointer missed as time expired.

The game was incredibly close from start to finish, as neither team was able to build a lead of more than four points.

NU came up short despite a big night from sophomore center Amy Jaeschke. After struggling to get involved in Tuesday’s loss to Marquette, Jaeschke bounced back with a career-high 34 points, including making 12-of-13 at the charity stripe. She also had 11 rebounds, giving Jaeschke her sixth double-double of the young season.

Her cousin, senior forward Ellen Jaeschke, came off the bench and contributed 11 points, her highest scoring output so far. It was the most significant playing time Ellen Jaeschke had seen this season after starting all but three contests last winter. Freshman Brittany Orban also scored 11 points and added six boards.

Even though the Cats played both the six-foot-five Amy and six-foot-two Ellen Jaeschke at times, the Tigers pulled down 20 offensive rebounds — which made up more than half of Clemson’s 39 total rebounds. This created numerous second-chance opportunities for the Tigers and led to them taking 23 more shots than the Cats.

Another important factor was turnovers. NU committed 25 miscues. It was their fifth game this season with at least 18. The Tigers scored 19 points off of those turnovers.

NU is off for exams until it plays at DePaul on Dec. 14.

danieldaly2012@u.northwestern.edu

By Danny Daly

Entering Tuesday night’s game, both Marquette and Northwestern had been led by offenses that featured one dominant player.

Amy Jaeschke, the Wildcats’ sophomore center, had averaged 16.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in NU’s first six games and topped the team in both categories by substantial margins. For the Golden Eagles, senior guard Krystal Ellis had scored 16.0 points per game in Marquette’s first seven contests, including 23 points in her last two outings. She also led the team with 1.86 steals per game.

So it is not hard to see why Marquette circled Jaeschke as the player they needed to contain to stop NU’s attack, and why the Cats did the same to Ellis. The key to the Golden Eagles’ 55-54 win was that Ellis turned it on when it counted, scoring her team’s last nine points to give Marquette the come-from-behind victory.

Jaeschke, on the other hand, did not take a shot from the field after sinking a jumper with 14:16 remaining in regulation.

“That’s a hard one to lose because we played so well,” NU coach Joe McKeown said. “Our biggest thing is not to beat ourselves right now, that’s what we got to avoid. We have to learn how to do that, make people have to play great to beat us.”

NU’s defense clamped down on Ellis from the get-go, causing Marquette’s high-powered offensive attack to sputter. The star guard was held without a shot for the first six minutes of the game and made just one of five from the floor in the first half. No one stepped up in her place — her five points were still tied for the team lead with 20 minutes left to play.

“Just knowing where Krystal Ellis was on the floor was really important to us,” Jaeschke said. “We knew she was one of their go-to players.”

Before intermission the Golden Eagles turned the ball more than 14 times, shot just 28 percent and were held to 20 points, their lowest output in a half to date. Usually that represents 10 minutes of work for Marquette rather than 20, considering how the team has been averaging 79.9 points per game.

As far as defending Jaeschke went, the Golden Eagles made it clear early on that they would not let her beat them. Marquette started a small lineup, with four guards and no one taller than 6-feet to guard NU’s 6-foot-5 center.

The Marquette defense double- and triple-teamed Jaeschke every time she touched the ball, swarming around her and forcing her to give it up right away.

But Jaeschke’s supporting cast picked up the slack. The Cats shot 57.1 percent in the first half, including four of eight from beyond the arc. Jaeschke still managed to score six points and grab six boards. Every player who saw action had scored, and NU held a commanding 34-20 lead going into the break.

“We played great defense,” McKeown said. “We really knocked them off their game, and we were able to move the ball, make shots, keep the floor spread. The things that got us that lead we kind of got away from in the second half.”

The beginning of the second half looked like more of the same. With nine minutes left, Jaeschke had taken only two shots and Ellis had been held scoreless, missing both of her field goal tries.

That is when Marquette’s senior guard took over the game. She scored her first basket of the half on a layup with 8:33 to go and went on to score 13 of the game’s last 25 points.

“I don’t think we got to her early enough defensively where we could stay in front of her,” McKeown said. “She got a head of steam, she’s pretty good at changing direction, and what are you going to do? She’s a good player. And good players make plays at the end of the game.”

The Cats were not able to get the ball inside to Jaeschke at all during the game’s waning minutes. She had minimal touches and no shots while Ellis went on her run.

McKeown attributed Jaeschke’s lack of production to the aggressive play of Marquette’s defense late in the game.

“They were really physical,” McKeown said. “I thought our team did a good job of playing off of (Jaeschke) early, then in the second half just didn’t make shots, didn’t get to the basket like we wanted to. Marquette was real physical the last three or four minutes defensively, and we didn’t handle it well.”

danieldaly2012@u.northwestern.edu

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Marquette had nearly completed a 14-point halftime comeback. Down by two, the Golden Eagles double teamed sophomore center Amy Jaeschke. Jaeschke skipped it to 3-point specialist Erin Dickerson wide open for a 3-pointer.

The ball squirted through her hands.

Marquette took advantage of the opportunity. Krystal Ellis tied the game at 54 with a pull up jumper along the baseline. Sophomore guard Meshia Reed missed a 3-pointer and fouled Ellis going for the rebound. Ellis completed the comeback with a free throw with 14 seconds left as Marquette came from behind for a 55-54 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Tuesday.

The Wildcats could not create any offense on their final possession and Dickerson made a 3-pointer after the buzzer sounded, sealing NU’s defeat.

“That’s just something as a team we need to work on,” sophomore center Amy Jaeschke said. “We’ll do really good for 30 minutes and for 10 minutes, we’ll just kind of not play the way that we should be. I think that it’s a lot of leadership that we need on the court when teams are making runs to step up and tell them and get the team together and bring the energy back up.”

Jaeschke recorded a double double with 10 points and 10 boards, but took only five shots in the game. Junior forward Kristin Cartwright led the team with 12 and freshman Brittany Orban and Reed added 10 each.

NU dominated the first half and took a 14-point lead to the locker room, forcing 14 turnovers and allowing only 28 percent shooting.

The second half was a complete flip. The Cats turned the ball over 10 times in the second half and hit only five of their 19 shots as the Golden Eagles gradually chipped away at the lead.

“At halftime we knew this happened before. We didn’t want it to happen again,” Cartwright said. “They were pressuring a lot in the second half and we didn’t handle it very well. When they started to make a run, we didn’t stop it. We had a hard time stopping runs and capitalizing on our runs.”

NU held a double digit lead with about 11 minutes left as the Golden Eagles inched their way back into the game. Coach Joe McKeown said the team struggled to stop the ball off the dribble as the game wore on. That was most evident in the play of Ellis.

She entered the game averaging 16.0 points per game and scored 30 in NU’s 65-63 win at Marquette last year. Ellis had only five points on one-of-five shooting in the first half. She finished with 18, including the three clinching points for the Golden Eagles.

For the Cats it was another struggle in learning how to finish games. After losing leads in previous losses, McKeown said the team still needs to learn how to execute in tight situations.

“We missed a shot and fouled them with the game tied, we can’t do that. We’ve got to be better at the end of the game,” McKeown said. “For us, it’s a learning experience. We have two freshmen on the floor. Kristin Cartwright didn’t play last year. Amy is only a sophomore. Meisha is a sophomore. We’ve got to skip a grade basically to finish these games off.”

prossmanreich@u.northwestern.edu

As expected, Marquette has come out of the locker room playing much cleaner and with more intensity. The Golden Eagles cut the lead to eight at one point and trail only 43-34 with 11:50 left.

But they are still plagued by the same problems — NU’s swarming defense. Marquette is shooting a much better 43 percent from the field as the team is working to close the gap.

It is not going to be easy for the Eagles, even though the Wildcats are shooting just two for eight from the floor. They are still working the ball in Amy Jaeschke and finding some opening. Marquette has stepped up the defense and has forced NU into some holes. The team has also treid a full-court trap to increase its own pressure on the team’s opponents.

NU’s balanced scoring effort might be wearing down on Marquette. While the Cats are not shooting well, they are getting to the line, having taken six foul shots already in the half. It is helping to keep the distance in this game.

Kristin Cartwright leads the way with 10 points, but picked up her fourth foul. Jaeschke and Meshia Reed have eight and Brittany Orban has seven.

Northwestern’s defense has been simply stifling in the first half as the team takes a 34-20 lead to the locker room.

The Wildcats have held the Golden Eagles to 28 percent shooting and forced 14 turnovers. Marquette has made only seven field goals in the game.

While NU has recorded only five steals, a lot of the turnovers have been caused by increased ball pressure and by the team’s active hands. The Cats earned at least five tie ups that went to a jump ball.

Defense has been the focus early in the season for NU and new coach Joe McKeown. there have been some bumps in the road early in the season, but this kind of effort is what he is looking for when the team reaches its full potential.

The offense is taking care of thins on its end.

Marquette is very clearly concerned with defending Amy Jaeschke. With no one who can measure up to her height-wise, the Golden Eagles are sending two, sometimes three defenders at her every time she catches the ball. Jaeschke has six points and six rebounds, but more importantly, three assists.

As the defense has collapsed around her, Jaeschke has found open players for three-pointers and easy jumpers.

On defense, she has changed numerous shots and gotten her hands on a couple (as has the rest of the team). But even when Marquette gets an offensive rebound — the team is outrebounding NU 16-13 — the team has been unable to get second chance points.

In the second half, expect the Golden Eagles to focus more on working inside out and not getting trapped in the paint where Jaeschke and freshman forward Brittany Orban are wreaking havoc. Marquette may have to abandon the plan to swarm Jaeschke as she catches the ball and try to force her to win the game on her own.

If the Golden Eagles can limit their turnovers, they have the talent and ability to close the gap and make things interesting. Marquette is averaging 79.9 points per game and score points in bunches.

Northwestern and Marquette are locked into a tight battle through the first part of hte first half. Both teams have taken turns in the lead as they have both looked to push the ball. Right now NU leads 16-12 with 11:38 to go.

At first it led to some sloppy play. The teams have combined for 12 turnovers — the Wildcats forcing eight. NU has taken advantage of Marquette’s mistakes scoring eight points off turnovers.

The offense is starting to find its rhythm as the Cats have gotten the ball to Amy Jaeschke more. Jaeschke has only two points, but her presence is being felt on the court. The Golden Eagles have decided to double her when she catches the ball and she has found some open teammates for midrange jumpers.

Marquette is starting to get some shots off after they struggled protecting the ball and handling NU’s press. The Cats will have to keep the pressure up and continue to force turnovers to stay ahead in this game.

They have done a good job containing scoring threat Krystal Ellis. Ellis has only hit one shot and scored three points so far.

Northwestern split a pair of weekend home games at the DoubleTree White Invitational. The Wildcats (2-4) have been anchored by sophomore center Amy Jaeschke who is averaging 16.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game.

She has been helped recently by junior forward Kristin Cartwright. Cartwright has averaged 15.3 points per game in her last three outings — including scoring a career-high 16 twice in the last three games.

NU faces a tough test tonight in Marquette (5-2). The Golden Eagles have lost their last two games after taking their first five, including a 76-71 loss to No. 15 Virginia on Saturday. Guard Krystal Ellis is averaging 16.0 points per game.

Last season, Jaeschke returned from injury and led the Cats to an upset 65-63 victory on the road against the Golden Eagles. Jaeschke scored 21 points and blocked Ellis’ shot with little time remaining to secure a one-point lead and the win.

Keys to the Game

1. Contain Krystal Ellis- Ellis may have missed the go-ahead basket in last year’s meeting in Milwaukee, but she is still a huge threat on the floor. Ellis had 30 points and 10 rebounds when the two teams faced off last year. She is still a huge focus for the offense and opposing defenses. NU’s new defense will be put to the test tonight against one of the best scorers they will probably see all season. The Cats will need to force the guard away from the basket, taking her off the glass and off the scoreboard.

2. Serve a healthy diet of Amy Jaeschke- no reason not to continue with what works. Jaeschke had a career game last year in her first game after an injury. Jaeschke should be a dominant force in the post again. If she can have another career night, she will not only be helping herself but also freeing up space for her teammates.

By Zach Buchanan

After leading by as much as eight points, Northwestern scored only three points in the final 7:49 and allowed Kansas State to score 12 unanswered points en route to a 25-24 deficit at half time. In that time period, NU missed eight of their last nine shots.

NU had early success getting the ball inside to center Amy Jaeschke, who leads the team with 11 points. Northwestern only has one fewer rebound than Kansas State, but Kansas State holds the edge in offensive rebounds 6-3. Kansas State was able to take advantage of those second-chances to reclaim the lead.

NU had the opportunity to tie the game with 1:14 remaining with two Jaeschke free throws, but the sophomore missed her first attempt. A last-second half court shot by junior forward Kristin Cartwright bounced off the back of the rim to keep NU down by one.

The Joe McKeown era for Northwestern did not get off on the right foot.

The Wildcats got a solid effort from sophomore Amy Jaeschke, but the Cougars held them off for a 76-69 victory at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center on Friday.

Jaeschke scored 21 points and a career high 14 rebounds and sophomore Meshia Reed and freshman Brittany Orbin added 12 for NU.

Chicago State led the back-and-forth game for much of the second half when a basket by senior guard Jenny Eckhart closed the lead to one with 2:45 left. The Cougars’ Jasmin Dixon pushed the lead back to five with a layup with 1:45 left and the Cats were forced to foul as they could not convert on the offensive end.