Marshall University Athletics
Regional Television Audience to See NIU Visit Marshall Women
2/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Regional Television Audience to See NIU Visit Marshall Women
2/21/2004
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. ? The Marshall University women?s basketball team will begin its season-ending four-game homestand on Sunday at noon when the Northern Illinois Huskies visit the Cam Henderson Center in a pivotal Mid-American Conference showdown. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net Ohio.
NIU (10-14, 5-8 MAC) will have revenge on its mind when it plays its first game in Huntington since the 2001-02 season, following Marshall?s MAC Tournament first round victory over the Huskies last March. The Thundering Herd?s 70-58 win in DeKalb, Ill., their first ever over NIU, proved to be the lone road victory in the tournament?s first round last season.
Sunday?s game is critical for both teams, who are fighting to secure a first round home contest in this season?s upcoming MAC Tournament. Seeds 1-3 receive a first-round bye and seeds 4-8 play host to the 9-13 teams in the first round. Currently, Marshall (13-10, 5-7 MAC) is the No. 8 seed and would host the No. 9 Huskies if the season ended today.
Rebounds will be at a premium when these two teams clash, as two of the top three rebounders in the MAC will tangle under the Henderson center rims. NIU?s Jennifer Youngblood, the MAC?s active leader in rebounds with 964 career boards, will challenge the Herd?s Catie Knable (Floyd Knobs, Ind.), the league?s third active leader with 851 caroms. Youngblood averages 9.6 rebounds per game (2nd in MAC) to Knable?s 9.5 per game (3rd in MAC).
Both teams are in need of a turnaround as the season winds down. Marshall has lost four of its last six while Northern Illinois lost five straight before its quadruple overtime win at Bowling Green on Wednesday.
NIU leads the all-time series, 7-1.
Sunday?s televised contest at the Henderson Center is the first Marshall has hosted since the 2001-02 season. Dave Weekley will call the play-by-play action while Debbie Leonard will provide color analysis.
