to the OAC Championship Game on Saturday
BEREA, OHIO — Freshman guard Ashley Westenbarger (McComb) scored a career-high 16 points and tied for game-high honors with seven rebounds tonight (Thursday, February 24, 2005) as the Baldwin-Wallace College women’s basketball team defeated Otterbein College, 75-69, in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea to advance to the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship Game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.. B-W will be playing at Wilmington College. The win against Otterbein was B-W’s season-high 10th straight, its 16th in its last 17 games and its third this year against the Cardinals.
With its win, B-W is now 22-5 overall while Otterbein ends its season at 17-10 overall.
In the first half, Otterbein built an early 11-point lead at 24-13 with 9:57 left when junior guard Abby Perez made a three-pointer. B-W then outscored the Cardinals and cut the lead to three points at 27-24 with 3:38 left before intermission when freshman forward Cara Shiplett (Canal Fulton/ Northwest) made the second of two foul shots. Otterbein then went on a 10-0 run to build its biggest lead of the half at 37-24 with 1:06 left when freshman guard Amanda Fisher scored on a layup. The Cardinals also led at halftime, 39-29.
In the second half, Otterbein extended its lead to as many as 14 points at 55-41 when senior guard Valerie Ruschau made a three-pointer. B-W then outscored the Cardinals 23-8 and took its first lead since 2-0 at the 4:26 mark when sophomore Kristen Matuschevski (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) made a pair of foul shots. B-W then extended its lead to as many as six points when sophomore guard Kelly Williams (Canfield) made two foul shots with 2.77 seconds remaining.
Joining Westenbarger in double figures for the Yellow Jackets were sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua) with 14 points and junior center Jenn Neal (Mentor) had 11.
Otterbein was led by Perez with 16 points, Ruschau had 14 and freshman guard Anna Gamble had 10 markers.
B-W and Wilmington have combined to win the last six OAC Tournament titles.
FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826 via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.
Game Notes vs. Otterbein
The second-seeded BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE YELLOW JACKET women's basketball team will play host to the third-seeded Otterbein College Cardnials in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea on Thursday, February 24, 2005 in the second/ semifinal round of the 2005 Ohio Conference Tournament Game time is 7:30 p.m.
The winner of the B-W and Otterbein game will advance to play the winner of the top-seeded Wilmington College and fourth-seeded Capital University game in the 2005 OAC Championship Game on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 3:00 p.m. if the game is in Berea, Westerville or Bexley and at 7:30 p.m. if the game is in Willmington (Wilmington also hosts the OAC Wrestling Championships that day).
RADIO -- All home and away Yellow Jacket women's basketball games are broadcast on campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, and over the College internet web site at www.bw.edu/athletics. The game also could be carried LIVE on the WBWC web site at www.wbwc.com. The pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to tipoff.
BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE
LOCATION: Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME: Yellow Jackets
CONFERENCE: Ohio Athletic
2004-2005 Record: 21-5
OAC RECORD: 16-2 (OAC Co-Champs)
LAST GAME: Beat Ohio Northern, 72-58, on Feb. 22 in Berea.
HEAD COACH: Cheri Harrer
B-W RECORD: 299-113
YEAR AT B-W: 15th
CAREER RECORD: same
LAST MEETING: B-W won 79-68, on Feb. 5, 2005 in Westerville
SERIES STREAK: B-W, two straight
SERIES BEGAN: 1974-75, B-W won 50-49
SERIES RECORD: B-W leads, 36-21
NEXT GAME: Feb. 26: OAC Championship Game, site and time is TBA
OTTERBEIN COLLEGE
LOCATION: Westerville, Ohio
NICKNAME: Cardinals
CONFERENCE: Ohio Athletic
2004-2005 Record: 17-9
OAC RECORD: 13-5 (third place)
LAST GAME: Beat John Carroll, 76-68, on Feb. 22, in Westerville
HEAD COACH: Connie Richardson
OC RECORD: 190-167
YEAR AT OC: 14th
CAREER RECORD: same
PREGAME NOTES -- The Baldwin-Wallace College women's basketball team will look to win its season-high 10th straight game, its 16th in its last 17 contests, its third straight against Otterbein College and most importantly advance to Saturday's Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Game with a win against Otterbein in the second/ semifinal round of the 2005 OAC Tournament in Berea.
The Yellow Jackets enter this game with a 21-5 overall record and claimed a share of the 2005 OAC regular season title with a 16-2 record (shared the co-title with Wilmington College). B-W last played on Tuesday when it beat Ohio Northern University, 72-58, in the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. It was B-W's 23rd straight win versus ONU.
The Cardinals enter this game with a 17-9 overall record and finished third during the OAC regular season with a 13-5 mark. Otterbein last played on Tuesday when it beat seventh-seeded John Carroll University, 76-68, at the Rike Center in Westerville. The win was Otterbein's second straight and eighth in its last 10 games.
The Baldwin-Wallace versus Otterbein College All-Time Series Information -- B-W and Otterbein have played 57 times previously in women's basketball with the Yellow Jackets holding a 36-21 series advantage, including a pair of wins this season. B-W won the first meeting between the two teams this season, 72-70, in Westerville, on Dec. 4, 2004 and won the second meeting, 79-68, on Feb. 5, 2005 in Berea. A year ago, in the OAC Tournament semifinbals in Berea, the Cardinals beat the Yellow Jackets 59-56. The series began in 1974-75 and B-W won the first-ever meeting, 50-49.
National Rankings -- Both teams are unranked. B-W is listed among the "Others Receiving Votes" in this week's D3hoops.com internet web site national Division III poll which was released on Monday, Feb. 21.
The Results From the Quarterfinals -- In Tuesday's quarterfinal games, the top four seeded teams all won. Top-seeded Wilmington College beat Heidelberg College, 79-61, at the Fred Raizk Arena in Wilmington. Second-seeded B-W beat ONU, 72-58 in Berea. Third-seeded Otterbein beat John Carroll University, 76-68, at the Rike Center in Westerville. Fourth-seeded Capital University beat Marietta College, 71-53, at The Capital Center in Bexley.
The Yellow Jacket Probable Starters and Players Who Will Come Off the Bench and Play -- Look for Yellow Jacket veteran Head Coach Cheri Harrer to start 5'7" junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC point guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry) and 5'10" freshman guard Ashley Westenbarger (McComb) in the backcourt. On the inside, look for Harrer to start 5'9" sophomore Michelle White (Hudson) and 5'10" freshman Cara Shiplett (Canal Fulton/ Northwest) at the forward positions and 6'0" junior Jenn Neal (Mentor) at the center position. Shiplett and Altenweg are tied for the team lead in scoring at 10.9 ppg. Shiplett leads the team in rebounding with 4.9 rpg. and is second with in steals with 30. She is also canning 50.7 percent of her field goals (109-of-215). Altenweg tops the team in assists with 100 and steals with 67. Westenbarger is scoring 6.4 ppg. and is second with 56 assists and is second with 25 steals. Neal is scoring 8.0 ppg. and grabs 4.2 rpg. and tops the team with 22 blocked shots. White scores 7.2 ppg. and is second with 4.5 rpg.
Off the bench, look for Harrer to play as many as seven players, depending on the opponent and matchups. Look for 5'6" sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski (Parma/Padua), 5'4" sophomore guard Kelly Williams (Canfield), 5'9" freshman forward Stacia Shrider (Marietta/ Warren Local), 5'10" freshman guard/ forward Alyson Cotter (Salem/ Senior), 5'8" sophomore forward Jessica Latimer (Brooklyn), 5'7" sophomore guard Kristin Matushevski (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) and 5'11" freshman forward Carly Flowers (North Baltimore). Jaworski is third on the team in scoring,averaging 8.7 ppg. and leads the team with 42 three-pointers.
The Cardinal Probable Starters and Players Who Will Come Off the Bench and Play -- Look for Otterbein Head Coach Connie Richardson to start four guards in, 5'8" senior Valerie Ruschau, 5'8" junior Abby Perez, 5'8" senior Amanda Fisher and 5'10" sophomore Janel Iden. On the inside, look for 5'11" senior center Danielle Holbrook to be the go-to player. Holbrook is the leading scorer 17.4 ppg. and rebounder 8.2rpg., shoots 57.5 percent from the floor, 77.9 percent from the foul line, has blocked a team-leading 25 shots and has added 33 steals. Perez is second in scoring at 12.7 ppg., tops the Cardinals with 125 assists and 86 steals and has canned 23 three-pointers. In 17 starts, Ruschau is scoring 8.7 ppg. and cans 77.5 percent of her foul shots. Fisher is fifth in scoring at 4.9 ppg., shoots 81.3 percent from the foul line and has 16 treys. Iden scores 4.2 ppg. and grabs 2.4 rpg.
Off the bench look for Coach Richardson to play 5'7" junior Michelle Keeney, 5'9" freshman guard Sara Fee, 5'10" freshman guard Ana Gamble, 6'1" sophomore center Lauren Roman, 6'0" freshman forward Ericka Falcone and 5'7" freshman center Chelsea Callif. Fee is fourth on the team in scoring at 6.9 ppg., has 41 assists and 27 steals and shoots 72.7 percent from the foul line. Keeney scores 4.8 ppg. and has 21 treys. Callif scores 4.3 ppg. and grabs 2.5 rpg.
In the First Meeting Between B-W and Otterbein, on December 4, 2004 in Westerville: Baldwin-Wallace -- 72, Otterbein -- 70-- In the first meeting this season between B-W and Otterbein, the Yellow Jackets won, 72-70, at the Rike Center in Westerville. Junior forward Jenn Neal scored the game-winning bucket with 12.6 seconds remaining to give the Yellow Jackets the win. Neal finished with 13 points. Sophomore forward Michelle White had a team-high 15 points and eight rebounds. Otterbein was led by junior guard Michelle Keeney with a game-high 16 points and senior center Danielle Holbrook had 15 points and a team-high six rebounds.
In The Second Meeting This Season Between B-W and Otterbein on Feb. 5, 2005 in Berea: B-W -- 79, OC -- 68 -- In the second meeting this season between B-W and Otterbein on Feb. 5 in Westerville, the Yellow Jackets defeated OC, 79-68, at the Rike Center. Freshman forward Cara Shiplett led B-W with 19 points and four rebounds. Junior forward Jenn Neal and sophomore Steffani Jaworski each had 14 points. Senior Valerie Ruschau, sophomore Janel iden and senior Danielle Holbrook led the Cardinals with 15 points each.
In B-W's Last Game on February 22, 2005 versus Ohio Northern in Berea, Ohio: Baldwin-Wallace -- 72, Ohio Northern -- 58 -- In B-W's last game, a 72-58 win against Ohio Northern University in the quarterfinal round of the OAC Tournament on Tuesday night at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea, the Yellow Jackets won their ninth straight game and 15th of their last 16 contests to improve to 21-5 overall. Junior point guard Nikki Altenweg led five B-W double figure scorers with a team-high 12 points. In addition, freshman guard Ashley Westenbarger, sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski and sophomore forward Michelle White each had 11 points and freshman forward Cara Shiplett had 10 points. Junior center Jenn Neal had a game-high nine rebounds.
Yellow Jacket Chatter
Nikki Altenweg is Among the Top All-Time Assist Markers and Steal Leaders -- Junior point guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry) now has 255 career assists and 155 career steals to rank 10th in assists and eighth in steals. Altenweg is three assists from supplanting current OAC Media Relations Director Julie Work (1995-99) from ninth place and seven shy of Connie Gribben (1986-90) and eighth place. Her 155 steals are eighth and six shy of seventh place.
Cheri Harrer Can Win Her 300th Career Game -- Yellow Jacket veteran Head Coach Cheri Harrer is the winningest women's basketball coach in B-W history with 299 victories and needs one more to reach the 300-win plateau. Harrer is 299-113 in 15 seasons at B-W.
OAC Titles and NCAA Excellence --- The Baldwin-Wallace College women's basketball team won its second straight Ohio Athletic Conference co-title and its fifth OAC regular season title in the last seven years. B-W won OAC regular season and OAC Tournament titles in 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. A year ago, B-W tied Capital University for the regular season crown. This year, B-W tied with Wilmington College for the OAC regular season title as each team had a 16-2 record.
In addition, the Yellow Jackets have also advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament in seven of the last nine years, including in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 when it advanced to the "Elite Eight" each year.
B-W Has its Ninth Straight 20-Win Season -- The Yellow Jacket women clinched a ninth straight 20-win season in 2004-2005 with their current 20-5 overall record. During that time span, B-Whas a 214-39 overall record. The nine straight winning seasons is the second longest 20-win streak in OAC women's basketball history.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, Please visit the Baldwin-Wallace Athletics website at www.bw.edu/athletics for up to date results and statistics. For further inquiries, please contact B-W SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. B-W Head Coach Cheri Harrer can be reached by phone at (440) 826-3299, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.
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