Dec. 6, 1999

Both Northern State and Nebraska-Omaha received votes but were not ranked in the WBCA national poll released Monday.

If the Wolves keep notching wins like the 65-47 victory over quality teams like the Mavericks Monday night in the Barnett Center in Aberdeen, a national ranking should surface in the not-too-distant future. The win over UNO was the third time this season the Wolves have defeated a previously unbeaten team from the North Central Conference (others were road dates at USD and SDSU).

Led by a solid effort on both sides of the floor by junior forward Memory Johannsen (Tolstoy), NSU (7-1) held UNO (5-1) to what was by far the team's lowest offensive output of the season. UNO All-American guard and scoring machine Darcy Stracke, who poured in 43 points in UNO's last game, was held to 18 against NSU, thanks in no small measure to the defensive play of Johannsen and an actively helping Wolves defense. Johannsen finished with a game-high 21 points, which included an 11-of-12 performance at the free-throw line.

Early on, neither team looked like that of a national contender, with both shooting just 25 percent from the field while feeling each other out in the first half. NSU recovered in the second half to shoot 43 percent, but would hold UNO to a paltry 27 percent from the field for the game. Senior guard Jammie Coyle's (Bell Fourche) offensive production was symbolic of both teams for the night, with many of her shots looking good but rimming in and out. Coyle still managed 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Junior forward Natalie Braun (Warner) also had 10 boards.

Beginning with early November Disney Tip-Off Classic in Florida and ending with UNO at home on Monday, the Wolves have already faced a montage of some of the nation's best teams during the pre-conference season. NSU heads into the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference campaign Friday with a date at Wayne State (Neb.). The Wolves face Southwest State in Marshall, Minn., the following night.