Jan. 28, 2002
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STRUGGLING REDHAWKS FACE MAC WEST POWER BALL STATE: Mired in its first three-game losing streak since 1999-2000, Miami University's women's basketball team (11-8, 5-3 MAC) attempts to right the ship against heavy odds at 7 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts Ball State University (14-4, 6-1 MAC) in Millett Hall.
Two teams currently headed in different directions, Ball State has won its last four outings and leads the Mid-American Conference's West Division, while Miami has dropped its last three and stumbled to second place in the East. Last Saturday, Ball State handled Western Michigan, 85-73, in a battle of West Division leaders, and Miami tumbled at Kent State, 62-56, in a contest for East supremacy. Ball State's only MAC loss came on Jan. 12 at Northern Illinois.
Mentored by first-year head coach Tracy Roller, Ball State is led by 2001 MAC Player of the Year Tamara Bowie, who's averaging 17.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest. The MAC's 2001 Freshman of the Year, Johna Goff ranks second among the Cardinals at 12.8 points per game and has hit a team-high 42 3-point field goals on the year. In all, five Ball State players average in double figures.
The contest pits the league's highest scoring offense, Ball State (80.9 ppg), against a Miami defense that rates 10th in the league in scoring defense (70.7 ppg) and 12th in field goal percentage defense (.451).
A LOOK AT THE SERIES: In a rematch of last season's epic MAC Quarterfinal contest that Miami won 91-88 in overtime, the RedHawks and Cardinals are tipping off for the 46th time. Since the teams' first meeting during the 1974-75 campaign, Miami has posted a successful 34-11 mark versus Ball State. The Cardinals have closed the gap over the last two seasons, prevailing in each of the rivals' last two regular-season meetings.
THE LAST MEETING: Ignited by a 40-point effort from Kim Lancaster, Miami produced a thrilling 91-88 overtime defeat of Ball State on March 6, 2001, in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Miami trailed by 11 entering the half, but went on a 13-2 run to open the second half and eventually send the game into overtime, tied 82-82. Lancaster drained three free throws in the final 41 seconds of overtime to lift Miami to the dramatic come-from-behind win. On the day, Lancaster broke a pair of Miami records by hitting 20-of-27 free throws and scoring 40 points. Her seven steals also were a career high. Ball State was led by five players in double figures.
MILLETT MAGIC: Miami, which has won 13 of its last 15 in Millett Hall, has certainly created some Millett magic over the last three seasons. This season, Miami stands at 6-2 in Millett Hall overall and 3-1 in league play. Last season, the Red and White went 10-2 at home and finished the season with seven consecutive home wins. The RedHawks are 25-7 (.781) at home over the last three seasons and had turned away 10 straight MAC opponents in Millett until Northern Illinois ended the streak on Jan. 19. The RedHawks have defeated Ball State 19 times in 21 previous games in Oxford.
A TALE OF TWO DIVISIONS: Now in her fourth season in the Mid-American Conference, Miami head coach Maria Fantanarosa is working to improve upon a 31-25 (.554) overall league record. Miami has risen to the occasion when it's come to divisional play over the past four seasons, posting an impressive 24-10 (.706) record. Overall, Miami had turned away 12 consecutive MAC East foes in the regular season until last Saturday's loss at Kent State.
Despite their success versus the East, Fantanarosa's RedHawks have not fared as well when heading West. Miami has gone just 7-15 (.318) versus the MAC West over the past four seasons and has lost nine 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.
LOOKING BACK: Miami lost its third straight contest last Saturday, falling at Kent State University, 62-56. The RedHawks got off to fast starts in each half but could not overcome 23 turnovers and dismal 38 percent shooting from the field. The loss was Miami's third consecutive league loss since the RedHawks started 5-0 in MAC play. Complete recaps and boxscores of these and all Miami games can be found on pages 12-18.
HEAD COACH MARIA FANTANAROSA: A former standout on the court for the Red and White, Maria Fantanarosa is in her fourth season of working the sidelines for 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. Fantanarosa ranks ninth in career scoring at Miami, but leads 10th-place and rapidly approaching Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) by just three points entering Wednesday's game.
'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 commentators Bob Rotruck and Bill Douglas. The live internet broadcast can be accessed by going to the schedule page on Miami's official website-www. MURedHawks.com.
MIAMI FAMILY SUFFERS TRAGEDY: There will be a moment of silence prior to Wednesday's women's basketball game with Ball State University, as Miami pauses to remember former women's basketball player and Talawanda High School teacher Sarah Oberhauser. Oberhauser, a 1994 graduate of Miami, played basketball for the Red and White for three seasons from 1988-91 and worked as a chemistry instructor and volunteer girls' basketball coach at Talawanda. She was killed in a car accident last Saturday morning.
SHOOTING WOES: Miami, which was shooting a league-best 51 percent from the floor and 44 percent from 3-point range during its five-game MAC winning streak, has lost its shooting touch over the past three outings. In consecutive losses to Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan and Kent State, the RedHawks have hit just 38 percent from the field and an even more dismal 29 percent from beyond the arc.
The RedHawks' woes have been mirrored in point guard and leading scorer Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo), who opposing defenses have been focusing on. Cusick was shooting 52 percent from the field during the winning streak but has netted less than 30 percent of her attempts during the current skid.
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 242 consecutive games-the longest such streak in the MAC. Louisville holds the current NCAA record, having buried a trey in 310 straight games. Miami's streak is the longest in the MAC. Individually, Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has hit a trey in 23 straight games.
ANATOMY OF A SHOOTOUT: Miami has established its offense over its first eight 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 ranks third in the MAC in scoring offense (73.7) and field goal percentage (.444). The RedHawks rank 10th in scoring defense (70.7), however, and 12th in field goal percentage defense (.451). No MAC team has shot worse than 41 percent against Miami, and the last four opponents have hit a combined 49 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. Eight games into the MAC season, Cusick has emerged as a frontrunner for the league's player of the year award. As of Jan. 28, Cusick ranked among the MAC's leaders in eight of a possible 12 categories. Cusick leads the league in points (17.5), 3-point field goals (2.74) and steals (2.79) per game, while ranking second in assists (6.00 apg). In MAC play, Cusick is averaging a league-best 18.5 points per game, which is nearly two points per game better than her nearest competitor.
20-POINT DIVA: After tacking on her seventh and eighth 20-point games of the season two weeks ago 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 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 76 games of her collegiate career thus far and has made a remarkable 73 consecutive starts. Opposing teams can also expect Cusick to show up on the stat sheet, where she has scored in double figures in 17 of the last 18 games.
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 on Jan. 19. The junior, who has tallied 1,083 in her career, is now just three points from matching head coach Maria Fantanarosa for ninth place all-time.
Already ranked among Miami's career Top 10 for assists (2nd-402), free throw percentage (4th-.797) and 3-point field goals (3rd-158), she could finish her career ranked among Miami's career Top 10 in 10 major statistical categories.
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 10 contests. Kozlowski, who has drained three or more treys in five league games, has hit 21 3-pointers over the past 10 outings. The sophomore moved into 10th place on Miami's career list with her three treys versus Akron, while also amassing her first career double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kozlowski hit a career-best four 3-pointers and tallied a career-high 20 points in a Jan. 23 loss at Eastern Michigan.
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 19 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. Day also has been uncanny from 3-point range, draining 18-of-27 (.667) treys this season. Day has struggled over the last four outings, however, tallying just 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
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 11 games in which Lancaster has cleared the double-figure plateau, she is averaging 15.5 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 54 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. Lancaster has posted five double-digit outings in eight MAC contests.
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 46-of-78 (.590) shots from the field.
DEPTH PERCEPTION: The bench is becoming an increasingly lonely place for Miami. Since losing off-guard Katie Schwegmann (Melbourne, Ky./Bishop Brossart) for the season on Jan. 19, Miami played only seven players in losses to Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan and eight against Kent State. To make matters worse, Miami received no points or rebounds from its bench in last Saturday's loss at Kent. Over the past three games, Miami's starting five (Heather Cusick, Melanie Kozlowski, Jana Butler, Colleen Day and Kim Lancaster) have accounted for 80 percent of the team's minutes and 90 percent of the team's scoring.
PETTY THEFT: Averaging 11.8 steals a game through 19 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 2.8 steals a contest, and Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who rates third in the MAC at 2.3 steals a game. Cusick, who has recorded at least one steal in 57 straight games, cracked Miami's career Top 10 list with two steals versus Eastern Michigan (Jan. 23) and needs 16 more to become the eighth Miami player to collect 200 career steals.
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) and Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton), who have four double-doubles apiece this season, the RedHawks have amassed 11 double-doubles on the year. Jana Butler (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty-Benton), Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side) and Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name) have notched Miami's remaining two double-doubles. Of Miami's current players, Lancaster leads the way with seven career double-doubles, while Day has four and Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has three.
CRASHING THE BOARDS: A key to Miami's success during its 5-0 MAC start, rebounding has been one of the RedHawks' weaknesses during their three-game skid. After its first five games, Miami was maintaining a dominant +9.4 rebounding margin over its opposition, including a two-to-one edge in offensive rebounding. Over the past three losses, however, the RedHawks have slipped to a -1.3 disadvantage on the glass. Miami, which ranked 10th in the MAC in rebounding margin last season, ranks third this season and has out-rebounded the opposition 13 times in 18 games. The RedHawks are 9-4 when out-rebounding their opponents.
BY THE SCOREBOARD: 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 2-7 when scoring 70 or less. Defensively, the RedHawks are 7-1 when restricting the opposition to 70 or fewer points.
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 +3.1 in league action. Miami is forcing a whopping 21.3 turnovers a game versus MAC foes, while committing 18.1 miscues. Overall, Miami ranks fifth in the MAC in turnover margin (+0.11).
SCHWEGMANN LOST FOR THE SEASON: Miami freshman Katie Schwegmann (Melbourne, Ky./Bishop Brossart), who was coming into her own after back-to-back solid shooting days versus Ohio (Jan. 12) and Kent State (Jan. 15), will miss the rest of the season after suffering a lateral meniscus tear in her right knee last Saturday versus Northern Illinois. Schwegmann, who is having surgery on the knee next week, was averaging 11.2 minutes per game as an off-guard for the Red and White. She tallied 10 points in Miami's Jan. 12 defeat of Ohio.
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.
POWER RATED: As of the Jan. 28 RPI rankings, found on www.collegerpi.com, Miami enters the week as the fourth highest-ranked team in the Mid-American Conference. Ranked No. 135 out of 321 NCAA Division I programs, Miami ranks below No. 107 Toledo, No. 128 Kent State and No. 130 Eastern Michigan. The RedHawks have a 3-6 mark versus teams ranked above them in the poll, including two wins versus the Top 120, and an 8-2 mark versus those ranked lower. All eight of Miami's losses have come against the Top 155.
CUSICK AND DAY REAP MAC HONORS: Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) have wasted little time in grabbing the attention of their peers this season. Cusick was honored as the MAC East Division Player of the Week on Dec. 3 after averaging 22.5 points per game in wins over Valparaiso and Butler. Versus Valparaiso, Cusick drained a game-tying 3-point field goal as time expired and later hit a clinching jump shot in overtime. Cusick earned the honor again after leading Miami to a 2-0 MAC start on Jan. 7.
Day was honored as the MAC's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Dec. 10 after averaging 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as Miami defeated Kentucky and tumbled at Clemson. She owns a 3.89 GPA in English and secondary education. Day was named the MAC's East Division Player of the week after recording a double-double versus Detroit on December 15. On Jan. 14, Day was honored again when she earned East Division Player of the Week honors for the second time.
During head coach Maria Fantanarosa's tenure, Miami has claimed MAC Player or Scholar-Athlete of the week honors a total of 16 times.
LANCASTER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MAC: One year removed from a remarkable freshman campaign in which she averaged 14.9 points per game and earned honorable mention all-MAC, MAC all-Freshman and MAC all-Tournament honors, sophomore forward Kim Lancaster (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) was honored this past October as one of five players named to the preseason all-MAC team. Lancaster burst onto the collegiate scene a year ago, setting a RedHawk freshman record with 432 points. The forward set a Miami single-game record with 40 points versus Ball State in the MAC Quarterfinals.
POWER OF YOUTH: With no scholarship seniors on a team that returns all five of its starters from last season, Miami is undoubtedly one of the youngest veteran teams in the nation. Last season, head coach Maria Fantanarosa gave 124 of a possible 145 starts, or 86 percent, to her sophomore and freshmen classes. Miami's underclassmen also accounted for 4,609 of 5,875 minutes played, or 78 percent. During the 1999-2000 campaign, Miami's freshman class-the current junior class-made an instant impact, amassing 1,906 of a possible 5,625 minutes, or 34 percent of the team's total playing time.
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