Jan. 21, 2002

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MIAMI FACES EASTERN MICHIGAN IN FIRST REGULAR-SEASON GAME SINCE '99: After suffering its first Mid-American Conference defeat last Saturday, Miami University's women's basketball team (11-6, 5-1 MAC) continues a tough stretch of league play when it travels to Eastern Michigan (9-7, 2-3 MAC) Wednesday.

Despite an 0-3 start in MAC play, Eastern Michigan has found its groove over the past two games, defeating Akron (89-40) and Buffalo (78-66) last week. The Eagles, who started the season 7-1, ended a six-game losing streak last Wednesday versus Akron and pulled back into the thick of the MAC race with a defeat of Buffalo Saturday. The Eagles have not finished below .500 in the MAC in three years.

Coached by fourth-year mentor Suzy Merchant, the Eagles are led this season by junior forward Abby Wiseman, who is averaging 12.9 points per game, and senior guard Stephanie Smiley, who is pouring in 12.4 ppg while hitting a league-best 47 percent of her shots from beyond the 3-point arc. Seven different players have led the balanced Eagle attack in scoring this season.

Miami and Eastern Michigan are meeting during the regular-season for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign-the first season for both head coaches.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES: Though Miami maintains a 29-8 series edge versus Eastern Michigan, the Eagles have dominated the teams' last two meetings. After handing the Eagles 14 consecutive defeats from 1992-98, the Red and White was ambushed in Ypsilanti, 81-45, in 1999. The following season, the RedHawks clashed with the Eagles in the MAC Quarterfinals and suffered an even more devastating 88-51 defeat. Miami holds a 15-4 all-time record when facing the Eagles in Ypsilanti.

THE LAST MEETING: Eastern Michigan tied a tournament record with 11 3-point field goals and rolled to an 88-51 victory over Miami in the 2000 Mid-American Conference Quarterfinals on March 2, 2000. EMU drained 11-of-29 3-point field goals and held Miami to just 25 percent shooting from the field. The Eagles led 34-17 at halftime and erupted for 54 second-half points en route to handing Miami the worst postseason defeat in program history. Eastern Michigan was led by Jessica Henry's 23 points and Stephanie Smiley's double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. The RedHawks were led by freshmen Kelli Stamper and Jana Butler, who each scored eight points. Miami's starting lineup netted only 17 points on the day.

ROADHAWKS: Miami, which is playing 15 of its 27 overall games and seven of its 11 non-conference games on the road this season, travels to a pair of tough venues this week when it plays at Eastern Michigan and Kent State. The RedHawks have forged a 5-4 record outside of Millett Hall this season, which includes losses at Portland, Oregon, Clemson and Louisville. Miami is in search of its first winning road record since it went 8-6 during the 1992-93 season. Over the past eight seasons, Miami has reached .500 on the road just twice while posting a 47-62 (.431) record. Last season, Miami went 6-7 when playing in hostile surroundings. In MAC action, Miami has posted a 12-14 road record during head coach Maria Fantanarosa's tenure.

A TALE OF TWO DIVISIONS: Now in her fourth season in the Mid-American Conference, Miami head coach Maria Fantanarosa is steadily improving upon a 31-23 (.574) overall league record. Miami has risen to the occasion when it's come to divisional play over the past four seasons, posting an impressive 24-9 (.727) record. Overall, Miami has turned away 12 consecutive MAC East foes in the regular season, while winning 13 of its last 14 divisional home games.

Despite their success versus the East, Fantanarosa's RedHawks have not fared as well when heading West. Miami has gone just 7-14 (.333) versus the MAC West over the past four seasons, including a 3-9 regular-season mark, and has lost eight consecutive road games to MAC West foes. Fantanarosa is still in search of her first coaching wins versus MAC West rivals Eastern Michigan and Toledo after ending a similar drought on Jan. 5 versus Western Michigan.

LOOKING BACK: Miami fell from the ranks of the MAC unbeaten Saturday when Northern Illinois pushed past the RedHawks, 74-61, in Millett Hall. Previously, the Red and White had earned five straight wins to open the MAC season. Complete recaps on these and all 2001-02 Miami games can be found on pages 12-17.

HEAD COACH MARIA FANTANAROSA: Fresh off her 30th Mid-American Conference win, Maria Fantanarosa is in her fourth season at the helm of the Miami women's basketball program.

Since taking over a team that had no freshman class in 1998, she has guided the team to consecutive MAC Tournament appearances and back-to-back MAC East Division runner-up finishes. Fantanarosa also has brought in and mentored back-to-back selections to the MAC all-freshmen team for only the second time in program history while helping four players to all-MAC accolades. A 1990 graduate of Miami, Fantanarosa was a two-time all-MAC honoree for the Red and White. Following her graduation, she went on to serve as an assistant women's basketball coach for Xavier (1990-94) and South Carolina (1994-97) before serving a one-year stint as head coach at Western Carolina (1997-98).

One of the most prolific scorers in high school girls basketball history, Fantanarosa's 3,823 career points while at Mt. Carmel Area High School in Kulpmont, Pa., rank among the all-time Top 10 nationally.

'HAWKS ON THE RADIO: For the first time in program history, fans of Miami women's basketball can follow the Red and White live on the World Wide Web. In a deal with Yahoo! Sports, all 27 regular-season games along with any postseason action will be carried live over the internet. WMOH, Miami's flagship station, will air 16 of the games throughout the year. Calling the games are veteran Miami play-by-play commentators Bob Rotruck and Bill Douglas. The live internet broadcast, as well as real-time stats for all Miami home games, can be accessed by going to the schedule page on Miami's official website-www. MURedHawks.com.

OF BIRDS AND TREYS: A big part of Wednesday's battle between the RedHawks and Eagles could come down to 3-point shooting. Miami enters the game shooting a MAC-best 42 percent from beyond the arc in league play, while Eastern Michigan is hitting a MAC-high nine 3-pointers per game. Also pitted against each other are two of the league's top 3-point shooters. Miami's Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has been hitting a league-best 2.9 3-pointers per game, while EMU's Stephanie Smiley is shooting a league-best 47 percent from beyond the arc. The Eagles do enjoy the advantage defensively, allowing their opponents to shoot just .337 from long-range. Miami, which is allowing MAC opponents to shoot over 40 percent from beyond the arc, ranks 11th in the league in defending the trey.

BRINGING BACK THE THREE: After hitting a meager 17 of its first 68 (.250) 3-point attempts through the first four games of the season, the long ball has come back into style for Miami. Over the past 12 games, the Red and White has drained 78-of-186 (.419) 3-point bombs while pulling into second in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (.374). Paving the way for the RedHawks, who have hit at least five treys in 10 of their last 13 games, has been Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo), who has hit 39-of-98 (.398) 3-pointers over the past 13 games and leads the MAC with 2.9 3-point field goals per contest.

STRING OF TREYS: As testament to what has become a fine 3-point shooting tradition, the RedHawks are working to maintain a string of games with at least one 3-point field goal that dates back to March of 1993. Since that game, a MAC Semifinal loss to Kent State, Miami has drained a 3-point bucket in 240 consecutive games-the longest such streak in the MAC. Ironically, assistant coach Lisa Hayden was on the floor the last time Miami failed to drain a 3-point bucket and went 0-for-3 from beyond the arc. Louisville holds the current NCAA record, having buried a trey in 308 straight games. Miami's streak is the longest in the MAC. Individually, Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has hit a trey in 21 straight games.

ANATOMY OF A SHOOTOUT: Miami has certainly established its offense over its first six Mid-American Conference games, but the RedHawks have not fared so well on the defensive end of the floor. According to the latest MAC rankings, Miami leads the MAC in both scoring offense (77.0) and field goals percentage (.479). The RedHawks rank seventh in scoring defense (66.5), however, and last in field goal percentage defense (.491). No MAC team has shot worse than 41 percent against Miami, and the last three opponents have hit a combined 53 percent from the field.

MAKING A STATEMENT: A two-time honorable mention all-MAC honoree over the past two seasons, Miami's Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has her sights set on bigger things this season. Six games into the MAC season, Cusick has emerged as a frontrunner for the league's player of the year award. As of Jan. 19, Cusick ranked among the MAC's leaders in eight of the 12 categories in which the league office keeps individual statistics. Cusick leads the league in points (18.3), 3-point field goals (2.88) and steals (2.76) per game, while ranking second in assists (5.76 apg). The junior also is ranked among the MAC's elite in field goal percentage, free throw percentage and assist/turnover ratio. In MAC play, Cusick is averaging a league-best 21.2 points per game.

20-POINT DIVA: After tacking on her seventh and eighth 20-point games of the season last week versus Kent State and Northern Illinois, Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has tied all-time leading scorer, Monica Niemann (1991-95), for first-place at Miami with 21 career 20-point games. Cusick cleared the 20-point barrier six times as a freshman and seven times as a sophomore. One more 20-point game this season also will tie Cusick for the single-season record, which is shared by Niemann and Mary Ann Meyers (1978-82).

TOUGH AS THEY COME: When opposing coaches are scouting Miami, they do not have to wonder whether or not point guard Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) will be on the floor. Cusick has played in all 74 games of her collegiate career thus far and has made a remarkable 71 consecutive starts. Opposing teams can also expect Cusick to show up on the stat sheet, where she has scored in double figures in 16 straight games and 20 of the last 21.

CHART CLIMBING: Although just a junior, Miami's Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) is making her presence felt in Miami's career record book. Cusick cracked the Top 10 in Miami's career scoring list with her 23 point outing versus Northern Illinois last Saturday. The junior, who has tallied 1,062 in her career, is now just 24 points from matching head coach Maria Fantanarosa for ninth place.

Already ranked among Miami's career Top 10 for assists (3rd-386), free throw percentage (4th-.799) and 3-point field goals (3rd-155). She could finish her career ranked among Miami's career Top 10 in 10 major statistical categories.

A BRAND NEW DAY: Just over halfway through the 2001-02 season, sophomore forward Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) is in the midst of a break-out season. Through 17 games, Day has scored in double digits 12 times, rebounded in double digits four times and assembled four double-doubles. The sophomore also has set career highs in virtually every statistical category, including her career-high 28-point outing versus Ohio on Jan 12. The sophomore, who ranks 14th in the MAC in scoring at 13.1 points per game, also has been remarkably efficient on the season, hitting 57 percent from the floor. No one ranked in the top 15 in the MAC in scoring has taken fewer shots from the field (143). Day also has been uncanny from 3-point range, draining 17-of-22 (.773) treys this season.

SENSATIONAL OR SLUMPING?: Following a fabulous freshman season in which she earned honorable mention all-MAC, MAC all-freshman and MAC all-tournament recognition, Miami's Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) has been hovering between sensational and the dreaded sophomore slump this season. Through nine games in which Lancaster has cleared the double-figure plateau, she is averaging 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field. In eight games where Lancaster has been held to less than 10 points, she is averaging just 5.9 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting a mere 36 percent from the floor.

A NOSE FOR THE BASKET: Sophomore guard Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name), who has worn a protective mask since suffering a broken nose versus Kentucky (Dec. 5), has been providing Miami with a steady long-range threat over the past eight contests. Kozlowski, who drained a season-best three treys each versus Western Michigan, Akron and Northern Illinois, has hit 14 3-pointers over the past eight games. The sophomore moved into 10th place on Miami's career list with her three treys versus Akron, while also amassing career-highs for points (18) and rebounds (10) versus the Zips.

SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES: Miami freshman Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side) has been showing promising signs of what may lie ahead in her collegiate career. On Dec. 15, Smith shredded Detroit for 18 points and 10 rebounds, notching her first career double-double. On the day, the forward scorched the nets for eight buckets in 12 attempts. Her solid play continued on Dec. 18, when she drained 4-of-7 shots on the way to 11 points versus Western Kentucky, and on Dec. 21, when she poured in 13 points versus St. Francis for her third straight double-digit scoring effort. After a recent slump, Smith returned to life versus Ohio (Jan. 12) with 12 points in just 18 minutes. The freshman has hit a solid 43-of-73 (.589) shots from the field and is averaging two steals a game in MAC play.

PETTY THEFT: Averaging 12.1 steals a contest through 16 contests, Miami finds itself once again leading the MAC in steals per game. Last season, Miami ranked first in the MAC with 12.0 steals an outing. Leading the RedHawks are Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo), who leads the league with 2.7 steals a contest, and Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who rates second in the MAC at 2.5 steals a game. Cusick, who has recorded at least one steal in 55 straight games, needs two steals to crack Miami's career Top 10.

SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE: After totaling five double-doubles through the entire 2000-01 season, Miami is making up for lost time during its 2001-02 campaign. Led by Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who has four double-doubles this season, the RedHawks have amassed nine double-doubles on the year. Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) ranks second with three double-doubles this season, while Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side) and Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name) have notched Miami's remaining double-doubles. Of Miami's current players, Lancaster leads the way with six career double-doubles, while Day has four and Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has three.

CRASHING THE BOARDS: After ranking 10th in the MAC in rebounding during the 2000-01 campaign, Miami has found a new level in 2001-02. Through the first 17 games this season, Miami has out-rebounded or matched its opponent 11 times and cleared an average of 37.3 caroms per game. Paving the way for the RedHawks, who rank third in the league in rebounding margin (+3.1), is sophomore Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who is averaging 7.6 boards per contest to rank eighth in the MAC. Day leads the league in offensive rebounding at 3.9 offensive boards per game. In MAC-only stats, Miami ranks first in the league in rebounding margin (+5.7) but has no player ranked among the Top 15 in the MAC in rebounds.

SCORING THREAT: Following an impressive week, in which Miami put up 192 points in two games versus Akron and Ohio, the Red and White finds itself ranked third in the MAC in scoring offense with a 75.1 points per game average. Versus Akron, Miami totaled 103 points, which was its highest single-game total in 20 years. The RedHawks also tied a program record with 56 points in a half. Despite a slow start versus Ohio, the Red and White notched 49 second-half points to finish with 89. Miami has scored more than 70 points 10 times this season and posted a 9-1 record when doing so. On the other hand, Miami is 2-5 when scoring 70 or less. Defensively, the RedHawks are a flawless 7-0 when restricting the opposition to 70 or fewer points.

POWER RATED: As of the Jan. 20 RPI rankings, found on www.collegerpi.com, Miami enters the week as the second highest-ranked team in the Mid-American Conference. Ranked No. 123 out of 321 NCAA Division I programs, Miami is one place below Toledo. Miami has a 2-4 mark versus teams ranked above it in the poll, including two wins versus the Top 100, and a 9-2 mark versus those ranked lower. All six of Miami's losses have come against the Top 140. In the most recent Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) RPI rankings, Miami is rated 110th.

REVERSING A TREND: One of the keys to Miami's success in MAC play has been its ability to protect the ball. Entering MAC play, Miami ranked 11th in the MAC in turnovers while averaging 22.0 miscues per game. The Red and White, which led the league in turnover margin a year ago, was further struggling with a turnover margin of -2.1, which ranked 10th in the league.

It's been a different story since the start of MAC play, as the RedHawks have maintained a turnover margin of +5.2 in league action. Miami is forcing a whopping 23.0 turnovers a game versus MAC foes, while committing 17.8 mistakes of their own. Overall, Miami now ranks fifth in the MAC in turnover margin (+0.47).

BODIES WORKING OVERTIME: Overtime has been paying better than time and a half for Miami over the past three seasons. The RedHawks' thrilling Nov. 28 defeat of Valparaiso extended the RedHawks' string of overtime victories to four consecutive. No current Miami player has lost a collegiate overtime game, and head coach Maria Fantanarosa has not lost an overtime contest since a 1998 loss at Buffalo.