Junior star Amy Jaeschke now might have enough weapons around her to bring the 'Cats to the postseason
Photo: NU Athletic Communications
The last time the Northwestern women’s basketball team played in an NCAA Tournament game was on March 15, 1997. Playing in the East Bracket, the 12th-seeded ‘Cats led George Washington – the 16th best team in the country – at halftime in what looked to be a patented 12-5 upset special. However, the Colonials were a team that had been tested in the postseason before having made the tourney the previous three years. Led by a great coach, GW made the necessary adjustments and pulled away midway through the second half and defeated NU soundly, 61-46.
But who exactly was that coach? It was none other than current-NU coach Joe McKeown.
THE COACH:
McKeown’s reputation precedes him almost anywhere. After being hired by athletic director Jim Phillips in the summer of 2008, the hubbub of the program has increased exponentially.
Just look at some of the bullet points from his resume:
• 516 career wins in 23 seasons
• 20 postseason appearances
• 17 NCAA Tournament appearances
• 3 Sweet Sixteens
• 1 Elite Eight
• Achieved a No. 6 ranking in 1991-1992 season
• 19 seasons with 20 or more wins
• A George Washington school-record 28 victories in 2007
Now, there’s talk that the coach that knows how to win with the best of them also knows how to recruit with the best of them. Enter freshmen Dannielle Diamant (6-5, 20th-ranked forward according to hoopgurlz.com), Kendall Hackney (6-2, 38th best forward according to Scout.com) and maybe the pick of the litter, Inesha Hale (Scout, Inc’s 14th best point guard in the country).
So why are there whispers of a ‘Cats return to what coach McKeown calls “the second season?” Well, besides the incoming frosh class, those returning are pretty darn good too.
THE STAR:
It all starts in the low post with junior center Amy Jaeschke. One of the most highly touted prospects to ever step foot on Evanston soil, Jaeschke’s talent is undeniable. Ranked 5th in the nation in blocks per game last season, she broke the single-season school record by 40 with 98 rejections in 2008-2009. Averaging nearly a double-double per contest – 13.9 points, 8.2 rebounds – Jaeschke shot over 40% from the field and spun off opponents with ease. Having been quoted as saying she’s in the best shape of her life, Jaeschke’s 35.9 minutes per game will only increase as she adapts even more to the college game.
THE CONTRIBUTORS:
As one of two seniors on the team, forward Kristin Cartwright is probably the hungriest Wildcat on this contingent. In and out of competition last season with a nagging knee injury, Cartwright is healthy again and intends on putting the Big Ten on notice. The only other NU player to average double-digits in scoring last season (10.4) is also the only player that McKeown will go to for free throws in crunch time. Just .1 off the record for career free throw percentage (83.4%), Cartwright is an obvious leader on the team and a captain too. If she stays healthy, she’s got a chance to be the catalyst to the postseason equation.
Then there’s sophomore forward Brittany Orban – 40% from three-point land, 82% from the stripe and 100% hustle from end to end. Her scoring ability was evident in the team’s exhibition game against Robert Morris when she put up 25 points. Although her D is sometimes suspect because of her agility, Orban has put in the hours over the summer to defend better against conference competition.
Now throw the sophomore Mocchi twins into the mix and there’s even more weapons at McKeown’s disposal. Maggie got the minutes last year and played in all 30 games exhibiting flashes of offensive brilliance. Her sister, Allison, is a heady player and has shown a knack for finding her teammates all over the floor. Both have great potential – now it’s just a matter of molding it into reality.
There are even more cogs that could help this team’s train run smoother, faster and more efficiently. Senior Jenny Eckhart – a hardnosed point guard that filled in for the injured junior Beth Marshall last year – logged the most minutes on the team and has great court presence. Marshall’s return means some sure-handed ball-handling coming off the bench. Junior guard Meshia Reed is maybe the team’s most valuable substitute because of the speed she brings to the court and her tenacity on defense. The scene of her stealing a ball and streaking down the court for an easy lay-up was replayed over and over again last season.
Want even more upside? There is a hometown flavor to this team – half of the kids are Illinoisan. The team is on the young side too – only one starter is a senior and eight of the fourteen on the roster are underclassmen.
AREAS OF CONCERN:
However, there are things this team desperately needs to improve: three-point shooting, first-half play, end-of-game strategy and the turnover ratio. Horrendous from beyond the arc last season (30%), the ‘Cats need someone to replace the departed specialist Erin Dickerson. As it stands now, Orban is the leading candidate and has shown no hesitancy in chucking the rock. Posting an early game deficit was an issue McKeown harped on during the summer – and one can bet the team may have run a few more wind sprints because of it. With an increase in endurance, Northwestern will be game-ready right out of the blocks. Still, the ‘Cats need points. Last in the Big Ten in scoring margin (-7.4), the ‘Cats showed a tendency to settle for outside shots (see Jaeschke’s 2-25 from the 3-point line). The -4.3 turnover ratio was not something to smile about and often led to McKeown tossing his jacket soon after the opening tip.
PREDICTION:
The team will – at the very least – double its conference win total from last season (3). Ranked as high as 6th in some preseason projected Big Ten standings, the ‘Cats depth will give them a chance at the postseason as a manageable non-conference schedule really helps their chances of a record a few notches above .500.
One of the most poignant moments of last year’s campaign was a 62-53 home win against the Minnesota Gophers – a perennial tourney team – towards the end of the regular season. The team showed the kind of fight and grit that McKeown squads are famous for. If they can replicate that every game, I like their chances of – gulp – making the tourney as an at-large bid.
Call me a homer. Call me a daydream Johnny. But if history tells us anything, it’s that McKeown breeds success everywhere he goes. It starts now for Northwestern.
Record: 21-12 (10-8 in Big Ten, second round BT Tourney, second round NCAA)
Matt, you’re insane. Did you watch this team play last season?
Yes, I’ve watched them a lot the last two seasons and had the privileged of calling a fair amount of their games for WNUR. I’ve seen the immense improvement in game strategy from Beth Combs’ final year compared to McKeown’s Year 1. I saw games in 2008-2009 in which Northwestern wouldn’t even be close – Kansas State, @ Purdue, @ Indiana – if Combs were still at the helm. In so little time (remember he was hired pretty late), McKeown not only brought a renewed sense of purpose to the girls but also turned them into a tight-knit group. There is no in-fighting anymore. There aren’t anymore players dogging it. And there isn’t anymore quit left in the Lady Cats. They believe in McKeown’s philosophy – as well they should: the guy is a living legend in women’s basketball. The team is more affable with the media and McKeown is the beacon of light this program has needed since the mid-90s.
I am being overly optimistic but you have to watch film of Diamant, Hackney and Hale to understand why I feel the way I do. The top of the Big Ten – Ohio State, Minnesota and Purdue – are the cream of the crop as those three will be ranked in the polls’ top-15 at some point. But the rest of the league – which is also competitive – is there for the taking. NU’s schedule sets them up pretty nicely as they have a couple out-of-conference challenges but nothing overwhelming. So they’ll be entering the Big Ten season with a record above .500. This is going to bring a lot of positive energy to the court for the ‘Cats.
Jaeschke gets better every year. Per McKeown’s direction, Orban is going to be taking more shots – which is good because she’ll make 40% of those. Allison Mocchi is the more talented of the two twins and she’s inserted into the starting line-up – another upgrade. With Marshall and a much more mature Reid coming off the bench, the ‘Cats have depth along with their phenom freshmen.
They now have height. They’ll be able to create better shots. And they have an off-season’s worth of good coaching. I think those three factors make them dangerous.
If they can just buckle down on D, my prediction may not look so outrageous in your eyes.