Nov. 12, 2009

Game Notes - Bucknell

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Miami’s 2009-10 season gets underway in the shadows of New York City, as the RedHawks participate in the Iona Tip-Off Classic at Iona College. Miami will open the tournament on Saturday against Bucknell at 5 p.m. In the second match of the evening, the host Gaels of Iona will take on Arizona at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, both a championship and consolation game will be held. Regardless of who wins the Arizona/Iona game, Arizona will participate in the 1 p.m. game, while Iona will take part in the 3:30 p.m. game.

MIAMI IN SEASON OPENERS: This is the 36th season of women’s basketball at Miami. In the first 35 season openers, the RedHawks are 18-17 all-time. Miami has dropped its last two season openers, falling 98-50 in the opening round of the WNIT to Notre Dame in 2007, and dropping an 82-74 decision at Eastern Illinois last season. The RedHawks are 4-1 all-time when their season opener is a neutral site game like this one against Bucknell. The last time Miami opened with a neutral site game was Nov. 23, 2002 when it defeated Valparaiso 93-69 in the first round of the Spartan Chevrolet Classic in East Lansing, Mich. That is also the last time the RedHawks won a season-opening tournament, as they defeated Michigan State 86-84 the following night.

LAST GAME: Miami women’s basketball pulled away in the second half to cruise to an 85-54 exhibition victory over Tiffin University Saturday at Millett Hall. The RedHawks were led by freshman forward Kirsten Olowinski, who had a double-double with a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. All five RedHawk starters scored in double-digits.

Miami used a 9-0 run over a three-minute span midway through the first half to pull out to an 18-7 advantage. Tiffin’s Stephanie Kelly tossed in a layup at 10:47 to end the Miami scoring flurry. The RedHawks held a 19-9 lead at 10:36, but Tiffin began to chisel away at the Miami advantage.

The Dragons pulled within one of the RedHawks with 6:06 remaining in the half, 26-25. But a jumper by senior guard Courtney Reed and a pair of free throws by sophomore forward Lillian Pitts pushed Miami to a five-point edge, 30-25. Sophomore forward Rachael Hencke hit a jumper with 2:43 remaining in the half to extend the RedHawk lead to 33-26. With 35 seconds remaining in the half, Olowinski nailed a jumper in the paint to give Miami a 38-32 halftime lead.

Miami opened the second half on a 20-4 flurry to construct a 58-38 lead by the 12:09 mark. Senior forward Ashleigh Brown tallied six points for the `Hawks. Miami continued to pad its lead, posting its largest advantage at the final buzzer, 85-54.

The RedHawks outrebounded the Dragons 53-25 and shot 45.2 percent from the field while holding the visitors to just 34.4 percent. Olowinski finished 9-of-11 from the field and added two blocks and two assists to her double-double. Freshman guard Courtney Osborn was one assist away from a double-double, with nine assists and 12 points. She was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Hencke added 13 points and nine rebounds.

ABOUT BUCKNELL: Bucknell is coming off a 16-12 season and an 8-6 mark in the Patriot League. The Bison needs to replace their top two leading scorers from a season ago, but have brought in a strong five-member freshman class. The leading returner is junior forward Joyce Novacek. She averaged 9.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Right behind her is junior forward Cosima Higham. She averaged 8.7 points and 7.9 boards per game last season. Bucknell liked to slow down the pace to earn victories last year. While the Bison only averaged 59.0 points per game, they held opponents to only 57.6 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY: This is the first meeting between Bucknell and Miami. The RedHawks have never faced any of the other three schools that are at the Iona Tip-Off Classic.

UP NEXT FOR THE REDHAWKS: The RedHawks will take on either Arizona or Iona on Sunday depending on the results of Saturday’s games. If Miami faces the Wildcats, the game will be at 1 p.m. If it is against the Gaels it will be at 3:30 p.m.

WHAT RETURNS: Despite a youthful roster in which nine of the 12 players are freshman or sophomores, eight letterwinners return from last year’s 16-15 squad. The RedHawks return 45.8 percent of their scoring, 59.9 percent of their rebounding, 31.8 percent of their assists, 50.3 percent of their steals and 67.2 percent of their blocks. The leading returning scorer is sophomore Maggie Boyer (Lebanon, Ind.). She average 9.6 points per game in 22 games last season before an injury cut her freshman campaign short. Right behind her is senior Courtney Reed (Andrews, Ind.), who averaged 9.2 points per game a season ago. Senior forward Ashleigh Brown (Delaware, Ohio) is the team’s leading returning rebounder at 4.4 caroms per game, and more importantly will be Miami’s vocal leader on the court. Sophomore Rachael Hencke (Grafton, Wisc.) led the RedHawks with 27 blocks last season and will be one of the more versatile players on the court, shuffling between playing guard and forward.

NEW PLAYERS: Four freshmen join Miami for the 2009-10 season. Courtney Osborn (Fishers, Ind.) will be looking to shore up the point guard position after the departure for four-year starter and two-time All-MAC honoree Jenna Schone. Two talented forwards have been brought in to strengthen the RedHawk post position. Kirsten Olowinski (Erie, Pa.) comes from Mercyhurst Prep, one of the top high schools in Pennsylvania. Kristen Judson (Bloomington, Ill.) is the daughter of former Northern Illinois men’s basketball head coach and current Illinois State assistant coach Rob Judson.