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Feb. 5, 2002

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REDHAWKS TRAVEL TO MAC POWERHOUSE TOLEDO: Miami University's women's basketball team (12-9, 6-4 MAC) looks to build some momentum this week when it rolls into Toledo University (12-8, 7-2 MAC) for a bout with the perennial Mid-American Conference powerhouse.

Toledo, which has not lost to the RedHawks since 1995, enters Tuesday's contest looking to right itself after a 68-61 loss at Ball State ended its eight-game winning streak last Saturday. Mentored by seventh-year head coach and three-time league coach of the year Mark Ehlen, the Rockets have advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times since 1996 and earned less than 24 wins only once during that span.

This season, the Rockets are led by four players averaging in double figures. Leading the way is senior center Melantha Herron, who is averaging 13.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Other leading scorers include senior guard Courtney Risinger, who's pouring in 12.9 points per game while shooting 46 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, junior forward Teresa Kahle, who is averaging 11.5 points per game, and junior forward Tia Davis, who is pouring in 10.7 points per outing.

Toledo is shooting a solid 44 percent from the field, including 37 percent from 3-point range, and is averaging a league-low 16.0 turnovers per game.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES: Miami and Toledo are meeting for the 45th time in a series that has been dominated in recent years by the Rockets. Since the 1994-95 season, Toledo has reeled off 12 consecutive victories over the RedHawks, marking the longest losing skid Miami has ever endured against a MAC opponent. During the current losing streak, Miami has taken the Rockets into overtime three times, including an overtime bout in the 1995 MAC Championship game, which marked the last time Toledo and Kent State did not face off in the MAC Championship. Miami has not won at Savage Hall since the 1989-90 season, dropping its last nine.

THE LAST MEETING: Miami shot just 4-of-22 from beyond the 3-point arc, as Toledo rolled to its 12th consecutive defeat of the Red and White, 70-64, in Millett Hall. The RedHawks led 61-60 with 3:05 to play in a contest that featured 16 lead changes, but clutch free throw shooting by the Rockets allowed Toledo to outscore Miami 10-3 over the final three minutes and secure the win. Miami, which shot just 38 percent from the floor, was led by Kim Lancaster's 19 points and Jana Butler's career-high 16 points. Toledo was led by Teresa Kahle's dominating double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds.

ROADHAWKS: Miami, which is playing 15 of its 27 overall games and seven of its 11 non-conference games on the road this season, has forged a 6-6 record outside of Millett Hall this season. The RedHawks are in search of their first winning road record since they 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 13-16 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 working to improve upon a 32-26 (.552) overall league record. Miami has risen to the occasion when it's come to divisional play over the past four seasons, posting an impressive 25-10 (.714) record. Overall, Miami had turned away 12 consecutive MAC East foes in the regular season until a Jan. 26, 62-56, 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 7-16 (.304) 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 Toledo and Eastern Michigan.

COACHING TIES: The student meets the teacher Tuesday night when Miami head coach Maria Fantanarosa and her RedHawks attempt to knock off Toledo head coach Mark Ehlen and his Rockets. Fantanarosa served as Ehlen's top assistant at Xavier University from 1990-94, as the Musketeers assembled a four-year record of 74-41 (.617). During the 1992-93 season, the duo led Xavier to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth. Thus far, the teacher has shown he still has a few tricks up his sleeve, as Ehlen's Toledo teams have amassed a 3-0 record versus Fantanarosa coached Miami squads.

KOKOMO REUNION: Tuesday's contest also serves as a reunion for three Miami and Toledo players. Miami's Hillary Beck (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and Toledo's Tia Davis, all hail from the same Kokomo (Ind.) High School program. During the two seasons in which the trio played together, Kokomo compiled a 45-5 (.900) record, including two conference championships and a state semifinal appearance during Cusick's and Davis' senior campaign.

LOOKING BACK: Miami snapped a season-long four-game losing streak last Saturday, rolling to a 79-49 win at MAC East Rival Marshall University. Miami allowed a season-low 49 points and received 19 points each from Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and Kim Smith (Gary, Ind./West Side). Complete recaps and boxscores of this 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.

'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 17 of the games throughout the year, including Tuesday's contest at Toledo. 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.

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 slowed considerably over the past five games. During a 1-4 stretch, beginning with a Jan. 19 loss to Northern Illinois, Miami shot just 39 percent from the field and 35 percent from the arc. Fortunately, Miami showed signs of life in its last outing, shooting 48 percent from the floor versus Marshall, including a smoldering 59 percent in the second half.

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 first five games but has netted just 33 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 244 consecutive games-the longest such streak in the MAC. Louisville holds the current NCAA record, having buried a trey in 312 straight games. Individually, Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has hit a trey in 25 straight games.

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. Ten games into the MAC season, Cusick has emerged as a strong candidate for the league's player of the year award. As of Feb. 2, Cusick ranked among the MAC's leaders in eight of a possible 12 categories. Cusick leads the league in points (17.6), 3-point field goals (2.81) and steals (2.86) per game, while ranking second in assists (5.71 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 versus Kent State (Jan. 15) and Northern Illinois (Jan. 19), 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 78 games of her collegiate career thus far and has made a remarkable 75 consecutive starts. Opposing teams can also expect Cusick to show up on the stat sheet, where she has scored in double figures in 19 of the last 20 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 1,120 in her career, recently passed head coach Maria Fantanarosa for ninth place on Miami's career scoring list.

Already ranked among Miami's career Top 10 for assists (2nd-408), free throw percentage (4th-.801), 3-point field goals (3rd-165), steals (8th-191) and field goals made (9th-381), 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 12 contests. Kozlowski, who has drained three or more treys in five league games, has hit 23 3-pointers over the past 12 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 21 games, Day has scored in double digits 14 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 22-of-32 (.688) treys this season. Day snapped a recent skid last week with back-to-back double-digit scoring outings versus Ball State and Marshall.

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 10 games where Lancaster has been held to less than 10 points, she is averaging just 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting a mere 33 percent from the floor.

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. Smith was an even more dominant scorer last weekend versus Marshall, draining 8-of-11 buckets on the way to a career-high 19 points. The freshman, who uses her athleticism to get inside for close-range shots, has hit a solid 55-of-92 (.598) shots from the field while becoming Miami's most consistent finisher in the paint.

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, with the recent emergence of Hillary Beck (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) has gone just eight deep over the past three games. Much of Miami's current situation can be blamed on the RedHawks having no senior class, the result of head coach Maria Fantanarosa's being hired too late to sign a freshman class prior to the 1998-99 campaign.

PETTY THEFT: Averaging 11.9 steals a game through 21 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 2.9 steals a contest, and Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who rates third in the MAC at 2.4 steals a game. Cusick, who has recorded at least one steal in 59 straight games, cracked Miami's career Top 10 with two steals versus Eastern Michigan (Jan. 23) and needs nine 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 last five outings. 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 last four losses, however, the RedHawks have slipped to a -3.4 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 21 games. The RedHawks are 9-4 when out-rebounding their opponents.

THE MAGIC NUMBER: Miami has scored more than 70 points 11 times this season and posted a 10-1 record when doing so. On the other hand, Miami is 2-8 when scoring 70 or less. Defensively, the RedHawks are 8-1 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 MAC-best turnover margin of +3.9 in league action. Miami is forcing a whopping 21.6 turnovers a game versus MAC foes, while committing 17.7 miscues. Overall, Miami ranks fourth in the MAC in turnover margin (+0.76).

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 had surgery on the knee last 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.

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.