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The Northeastern women's basketball team (2-2, 0-0 CAA) looks to sweep its brief two-game home stand on Tuesday afternoon when it welcomes the Ivy League's Dartmouth Big Green to Solomon Court for a 12 p.m. matinee.
Last Time Out
The Huskies kicked off the 2012-13 Solomon Court slate in style on Nov. 20, taking down cross-town rival Boston University by a score of 73-62.
Deanna Kerkhof shot the lights out to lead all scorers, dropping 25 points on 8-13 shooting from the field, including going 5-7 from downtown. Kerkhof also grabbed nine rebounds and didn't commit a turnover. She was supported by the inside presence of
Jewel Tunstull and
Christine Huber, who combined to accumulate 32 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocks.
Amencie Mercier dished out a career-best six assists in the win.
Drawing up Dartmouth
The Big Green enter Tuesday's contest at 1-2 on the year, with a win in their opener at Bryant before losses vs. BYU and at Albany. Faziah Steen leads Dartmouth in scoring, averaging 16.5 points a game in two contests. Steen does a good chunk of her damage from the charity stripe, where she has knocked down 12-14 this year. Abbey Schmitt is Dartmouth's post presence, averaging a double-double this year with 11.0 points and 10.0 boards a contest. The Big Green also get scoring from Kamala Thompson (9.7 ppg) and Milica Toskovic (8.3 ppg). Thompson also averages 6.0 rebounds a contest and leads the squad with six steals. Legendary coach Chris Wielgus mans the bench for Dartmouth, and the squad has reached the NCAA tournament seven times in her 27 year tenure. Northeastern and its New England-mate Dartmouth have squared off 12 times in the past, the most matchups for NU with an Ivy League team besides Harvard. The Big Green hold a slight 7-5 edge in the match-up, including a 60-54 victory in the last meeting on Dec. 1, 2010. The series dates back to the 1982-83 season, and NU's last victory came on Nov. 29, 2007.
Instigating the Ivies
The Huskies have taken on all eight teams composing the Ivy league on the hardwood, for a total of 62 games against the conference. Northeastern has a 38-24 record in those games, with winning records against every team except Dartmouth (5-7) and Princeton (1-1). The Huskies also battled the “Ivy IX” 11 times during their formative years from 1966 to1976.
Grappling with the Granite State
Northeastern is 43-41 all-time against teams from New Hampshire, including a 31-40 record against Division-I schools in the state. Most of NU's matchups have come against former America East-rival UNH, against whom the Huskies have compiled a 26-33 record.
CAA's Finest
Several Huskies rank among the top-ten in the league in a multitude of categories. Kerkhof is fourth in scoring (17.3 ppg), eighth in rebounding (8.3 rpg), fourth in field goal percentage (51.2%), third in the three-point field goal percentage (52.0%) and fourth in minutes played per game (34.8).
Jewel Tunstull is ninth in scoring (13.5 ppg), seventh in rebounding (8.5 rpg), third in field goal percentage (55.3%) sixth in blocked shots per game (1.5).
Kashaia Cannon is fifth in three point field goal percentage (41.7%), and
Christine Huber is tied with Kerkhof for eighth in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and second in blocks per game (2.0).
Amencie Mercier is second in assists (4.0 apg), fourth in steals per game (2.5) and second in assist/turnover ratio (1.5).
Home cookin'
After opening with three contests on the road, the 11-point win over Boston University on Nov. 20 kicked off Northeastern's 2012-13 home slate. Dating back to last season, the Huskies have won four straight and five of six overall at Solomon Court. All five of those wins have come by a double digit margin.
Dominant Deanna
Preseason All-CAA first team member
Deanna Kerkhof had a huge game in the win over BU on Nov. 20. The Wallaceburg, Ontario native led all scorers with 25 points, going 8-13 from the field and 5-7 from three point range. Kerkhof particularly helped the Huskies get off to a fast start, scoring eight of NU's first 10 points and 16 overall in the first half to send Northeastern to the break up 42-28. The guard has led NU in scoring in three of its first four games, and her 17.3 points a contest are fourth in the CAA. Kerkhof has two 20-point outputs this season, giving her eight for her career. Also impressive has been her penchant to get after it on the glass, averaging a career-high 8.3 rebounds a game, including her two highest single-game totals with 11 at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 11 and nine in the BU game.
Defensive Impressive
Northeastern held its first two opponents this season to 50 points or less, the first time they have done that in back-to-back games since 2009. The last time the Huskies held two opponents to 50 or less to start a season was 1984, when they turned in the feat in season opening victories over Fairfield and Maryland. 1984 was also the last time NU held its first four opponents to under 63 points each, as the Huskies have done this season. On the year, NU allows 55.0 points a game, the fifth best mark in the CAA. The Huskies are fifth in the league in scoring margin with a +8.8 mark, fourth in rebounding margin (+4.5) and fourth in the league in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a paltry 32.8 percent from the floor. NU also comes in at second in the conference in blocks per game (4.8) and fourth in steals (10.3).
Three for all
The Huskies make more three-pointers per contest (8.8) than anyone else in the CAA, and also shoot for the highest percentage from deep at 39.3 percent (35-89). The win over BU was NU's most efficient deep ball performance of the year, as they drained 10-19 (52.6%). The most triples they have hit in game is 13, a trick turned against La Salle on Nov. 15. The long ball barrage is keyed by Kerkhof, who leads the league with 3.3 makes a game and is third with a 52.0 percent mark from long range. Also adding to the production are Cannon and Huber, who are fourth and seventh in the league in threes per game, with 2.5 and 1.8, respectively. Cannon's 41.7 percent mark is fifth in the conference. Northeastern had a strong penchant for the three-pointer last season as well, draining 228, a school record. NU's 7.6 made long balls per game were 11th nationally and first in the CAA.
Ka$h Money
Kashaia Cannon has returned to the lineup in 2012-13 after missing all of last season following off-season surgery. The redshirt-senior is third on the squad with 11.8 points per game, and has led NU in scoring once this year following a 16-point performance at Temple on Nov. 17. The captain has been able to stay on the court consistently, averaging 28.5 minutes a game, and has not committed a foul this season.
Twin Towers
Northeastern has gotten heavy early production this year from its two post players, 6'4 forward
Christine Huber and 6'3 center
Jewel Tunstull. The pair combine to average 22.5 points,16.8 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game. They are especially effective in sharing the load on the glass, as Tunstull has 19 offensive boards while Huber has grabbed 25 defensive. The duo are the only teammates in the CAA that rank in the top-eight in rebounding. Huber posted her first double-double of the season against BU with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Tunstull finished a rebound shy, tallying 18 points and nine boards.
Early Milestones
The Huskies have started off 2012-13 already setting career-highs in a variety of categories. Kerkhof grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds in the loss at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 11.
Amencie Mercier set new two career-highs on Nov. 17 at Temple, with 11 points and seven steals, then dished out a personal best six assists against BU on Nov. 20.
A'lece Mark handed out a career-high six assists in the Nov. 15 win at La Salle.
Fans unable to make it out to Solomon court can enjoy a free, high-defintion stream at www.GoNU.com/xstream. After Tuesday's contests, Northeastern hits the road again for its first ever matchup with NJIT. The Huskies and Highlanders will take to the hardwood at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1.
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