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Feb. 11, 2003
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REELING REDHAWKS ATTEMPT TO END SKID AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Limping from back-to-back heartbreaking losses at Mid-American Conference West Division leader Ball State and to MAC East Division leader Kent State, Miami University's women's basketball team (10-10; 5-4 MAC) sets its sights on a strong finish when it tips off the final quarter of its season with a Feb. 13 clash at Northern Illinois University.
The first stop on a two-game road trip in which Miami travels to Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, NIU (10-11; 6-4 MAC) has won five of its last six games and is currently a half-game ahead of the RedHawks in the MAC standings. The Huskies are even stronger in their brand new Convocation Center, where they have posted a 6-3 record and are averaging more than 1,600 fans.
Northern Illinois is coached by veteran mentor Carol Hammerle, who is in her fifth season with the Huskies and her 29th season as a head coach. A 2002 MAC Semifinalist, the Huskies are led by the duo of senior guard Kristan Knake and junior forward Jennifer Youngblood, who both earned all-MAC accolades a year ago. Youngblood averages 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per outing, while Knake is netting 10.9 ppg. Youngblood, one of the league's most formidable interior presences, is shooting 53 percent from the floor, 48 percent from 3-point range and 91 percent from the free throw line.
The Huskies are shooting 45 percent from the field in league games but are allowing their opponents to shoot a MAC-worst 46 percent from the floor.
SERIES HISTORY: Thursday marks the 18th meeting between Miami and Northern Illinois, which rejoined the MAC for the 1997-98 campaign. Miami leads the overall series 10-7, but the series is knotted at 3-3 since the teams have resumed league play. The Huskies currently own an overall two-game winning streak as well as a two-game winning streak in DeKalb, where they lead 5-4. The RedHawks, who have lost three out of their last four games versus the Huskies, have not defeated NIU since an 85-69 win in Millett Hall during the 1999-2000 campaign.
THE LAST MEETING-Northern Illinois 74, Miami 61 (Jan. 19, 2002): Everything that worked during a 5-0 start to Miami's 2001-02 MAC campaign faltered in a 74-61 loss to a physical Northern Illinois squad. NIU charged out to a 13-3 advantage by the 14:14 mark and Miami would never seriously threaten again. The Huskies led 36-26 at the half and by as many as 20 points with less than 14 minutes to play. Miami, aided by a trio of Melanie Kozlowski 3-pointers, erased some of the sting over the final seven minutes to close to within nine points with two minutes to play. The RedHawks, who were led by Heather Cusick's 23 points, shot just 32 percent from the field, while Northern Illinois, led by Kristan Knake's 29 points, shot 51 percent from the floor.
COMMON OPPONENTS: Versus six common foes this season, the RedHawks and Huskies have followed a similar path, with Miami posting a 3-3 record versus Ball State, Buffalo, Kent State, Marshall, Ohio and Western Michigan, and Northern Illinois assembling a 3-4 record with one additional meeting with Ball State. Both teams are unbeaten versus Buffalo, Marshall and Ohio, and both have gone winless versus MAC leaders Ball State, Kent State and Western Michigan.
COUNTDOWN TO HISTORY: After averaging 21.3 ppg over her last three outings, Miami senior Heather Cusick has placed herself within just four points of surpassing Monica Niemann (1991-95) as Miami's all-time scoring leader. Cusick currently has 1,605 points and is gaining rapidly on Niemann's record total of 1,608. Cusick is already Miami's career record holder for assists (547), 3-point field goals (218) and 20-point games (31), and also is closing in on Mary Ann Myers' (1978-82) record 594 field goals. Cusick's career point total presently ranks 20th all-time in MAC history. The senior has averaged 19.3 ppg in her career versus the Huskies.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000: After a slow start, Miami's Kim Lancaster has stepped up her offense, reaching double digits in 10 of the past 13 games and closing to within 17 points of Miami's 1,000-point club. Lancaster, who is aiming to be the 14th inductee to the 1,000-point club, could become just the fourth player in Miami women's basketball history to clear 1,000 points during her junior season-joining teammate Heather Cusick, Monica Niemann (1991-95) and Mary Ann Myers (1978-82). Lancaster already ranks among Miami's career top three in terms of field goal percentage and is shooting an impressive 55 percent from the floor this season to rank second in the MAC. Over the past 13 games, Lancaster has averaged 10.5 ppg to rank second on the team.
ROADHAWKS: The road has become an increasingly friendly place for Miami in recent weeks. After a win at Michigan State during its opening weekend, the Red and White dropped five of its next six road games, including its worst losses of the season at TCU and Western Michigan. More recently, Miami reeled off consecutive road wins at Ohio, Marshall and Buffalo for its first three-game road winning streak since the 1996-97 season. That streak ended in overtime Feb. 3 at Ball State. The RedHawks have not won four straight on the road since 1995-96, when they won five straight. Miami, which plays 16 of its 27 games this season on the road, owns a 5-6 road record. Last season, Miami assembled an 8-7 record on the road-its first winning road mark since 1995-96.
A TALE OF TWO DIVISIONS: Entering her fifth MAC season, Maria Fantanarosa is working to build upon a 42-30 (.583) league record. Miami has risen to the occasion in divisional play over the past four years, posting a 33-11 (.750) record. Overall, Miami has turned away 21 of its last 23 MAC East opponents during the regular season, including a nine-game winning streak that ended last Saturday versus Kent State.
Despite their success versus the East, Fantanarosa's RedHawks have not fared as well when heading West. Miami has gone just 9-20 (.310) versus MAC West opponents over the past five seasons and has lost 12 of its last 13 MAC West road games. The RedHawks earned their only win versus the West this season when they defeated Eastern Michigan for the first time under Maria Fantanarosa.
NEXT UP: Miami leaves directly from DeKalb after Thursday night's contest and travels to Bowling Green State University, where it will face the Falcons Saturday as the second-half of a BGSU mens and women's doubleheader. The contest, which is scheduled to tip off at approximately 4 p.m., pits Miami against a Bowling Green team that has posted a 5-3 home record. The RedHawks, who defeated BGSU 72-61 last season, are just 8-15 at the Falcons' Anderson Arena and have lost three of their last four contests there.
A ROUGH STRETCH: Miami concludes a rough stretch in its 2002-03 schedule Thursday when it travels to 2002 MAC Semifinalist Northern Illinois. During a three-game span, the RedHawks, a 2002 MAC Semifinalist, will have clashed with the other three 2002 MAC Semifinalists. Miami's tour began on Feb. 3 at Ball State, which won the MAC West a year ago and leads the West Division this season. Saturday, the RedHawks fell to defending MAC East titleholder Kent State, which leads the East by a game and a half this season. After Thursday night, none of Miami's remaining six foes have a league record of above .500.
A FINE LINE: The difference between winning and losing has been a fine line indeed for Miami's 2002-03 women's basketball team. Through 20 games this season, 10 of Miami's games have been decided by five points or less and 12 have been decided by less than seven points. The RedHawks have forged a 5-7 record in games decided by less than seven points. Miami also has been working its share of overtime, posting a 1-3 record in games that have taken an extra period. Miami's four overtime games this season are a program single-season record.
OFFENSE WINS: When the offense is working, everything is working for Miami. Aside from a overtime losses at Kentucky and Ball State, Miami is 9-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points and 7-0 when outshooting the opposition from the field. Miami is 1-7 when scoring less than 70 points and 3-9 when being outshot from the field. The RedHawks rank third in the MAC in scoring offense, averaging 73.3 ppg. Defensively, Miami is a disappointing 12th, allowing 70.6 points per outing.
POLISHING THE GLASS: Another important theme in RedHawk wins has been rebounding. Miami, which is averaging 39.1 rebounds per game, ranks third in the MAC in rebounding and sixth in rebounding margin (+-0.2). The RedHawks are especially strong on the offensive glass, grabbing 14.9 offensive boards a contest and ranking second in the league. Miami, which is getting nearly 20 percent of its offense from second-chance points, owns a 7-2 record when outrebounding the opposition and just a 3-8 mark when being tied or outrebounded.
CUSICK AND THE MAC GREATS: Along with etching her name all over the Miami career record books, Heather Cusick also is starting to place her name throughout the Mid-American Conference record book. The senior's 1,605 career points rank 20th in MAC history, while her 218 3-point field goals and 547 assists rank fifth and 11th, respectively. Miami's point guard also has reached the MAC's Top 12 for career steals with 275. Cusick could become the first player in MAC history to amass 1,500 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds, 300 steals and 200 3-point field goals. She's only the second MAC Player, joining former Toledo standout Kelly Savage (1985-89), to reach both 500 career assists and 200 career 3-point field goals.
STEADY AS THEY COME: When opposing coaches are scouting Miami, they do not have to wonder whether or not point guard Heather Cusick will be on the floor. Cusick, who has played in all 107 games of her collegiate career has started 104 consecutive contests. Opposing teams also can expect Cusick to show up on the stat sheet, where she has scored in double figures in 80 percent (86-of-107) of her career games and notched 31 outings of 20 points or more. Cusick also has dished an assist in 77 straight games and has only been held scoreless once in 107 contests. The senior has made a steal in 87 of the last 88 contests-a 78-game streak ended at TCU on Jan. 3.
A DAY ON THE GLASS: Over the past two seasons, junior forward Colleen Day has transformed herself into one of the most aggressive rebounders in the conference. Day's 6.7 rebounds per game currently lead the RedHawks and rank 10th in the MAC. The junior is even more impressive on the offensive glass, where she is clearing 2.75 offensive boards per game and ranks fifth in the league. With 483 career rebounds to date, Day has already cracked Miami's Top 15 all-time rebounders and is just 17 rebounds short of becoming the 14th RedHawk to amass 500 career boards. Day has three double-digit rebounding outings this season, including a career-best 14 boards in Miami's Dec. 28 win at Butler.
MILLETT MAGIC: Miami, which has won 19 of its last 25 contests in Millett Hall, ended a two-game home losing streak with its 84-56 defeat of Akron on Jan. 7. Last year, Miami finished at 10-3 in Millett Hall overall and 6-2 in league play, finishing the season with seven consecutive home wins.
The RedHawks are 32-11 (.744) at home over the past four seasons and have won 12 consecutive home games versus MAC East opponents. The RedHawks are 3-3 at home this season and have won their last two home dates.
BOOK SMARTS: According to the first semester grade reports, Miami's women's basketball team has been getting things done in the classroom as well as on the court. The women's basketball team assembled a team GPA of 3.07 in the fall semester, ranking fifth among all athletic programs at Miami. Junior Melanie Kozlowski (Parma, Ohio/Holy Name), an exercise science major, led the way for the RedHawks, posting a perfect 4.0 GPA and earning a spot on the prestigious President's List. Four RedHawks-Heather Cusick, Colleen Day, Kozlowski and Beth Roederer-have been nominated for Verizon Academic All-American honors.
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 273 consecutive games-the longest such streak in the MAC. Louisville holds the current NCAA record, which is over 300 games and counting.
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