Feb. 15, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

UP AHEAD: Miami wraps up its stint against the Mid-American Conference West Division when it travels to Toledo for a 7 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 16. Miami will then begin its second set of games with the East Division starting with a mid-week trip to Buffalo. The RedHawks finish their season with three of their final four games in Millett Hall.

ABOUT TOLEDO: The Rockets welcome Miami to Savage Hall, where Toledo is 6-4 on the season and 3-3 in conference play. Toledo has lost four consecutive games to East Division teams, including a 12-point loss at Ohio, 58-70, on Wednesday. Allie Clifton leads the Rockets averaging 15.8 ppg, while Tamesha Scotton is the other Rocket scoring in double figures, averaging 10.8 ppg. In conference play, Olivia Terry is scoring in double figures, averaging 10.4 ppg, along with Scotton and Clifton.

THE SERIES WITH THE ROCKETS: Saturday marks the 51st meeting between the RedHawks and Rockets, with Toledo owning a 27-23 lead in the all-time series. Toledo has been dominant in the series since the 1994-95 season, going 16-3 versus Miami. Miami won last year's meeting, 87-77, in Millett Hall, but the RedHawks are just 1-7 at Savage Hall since the 1994-95 season. Toledo leads the all-time series 16-8 when playing in Toledo.

MAC TOURNAMENT CHANGES: The first round of the 2008 Mid-American Conference Tournament, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, has had its first round games adjusted. The #4 East Division team plays the #5 West Division team at 7 p.m. and the #3 West Division team plays the #6 East Dvision team 30 minutes following the completion of the first game on Sunday, March, 9. Starting at noon on Monday, March 10, the #4 West Division team faces off against the #5 East Division team, before the #3 East Dvision team plays the #6 West Division team 30 minutes following the completion of the first game. The quarterfinals will still be played on Tuesday, March, 11, while the Semifinals and Finals will be played on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15, respectively.

LEADING THE CHARGE: After a tough stretch of games from Jan. 12 through Jan. 26, where she shot just 20.4 percent from the field, junior guard Jenna Schone has been one of the keys behind Miami's four-game winning streak. Schone has lifted her game averaging 18.0 points per game over the past four contests. Schone is also averaging 6.00 assists per game and she is shooting a sizzling 54.5 percent (24-of-44) from the field and 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from three.

DEFENSIVE LEADER: Since the opening game of the season, senior forward Laura Markwood has led the conference in rebounding and she has played a high level of defense all season. Markwood, who leads the MAC in rebounding in both overall (10.4 rpg) and conference-only games (11.1 rpg), also ranks among the MAC elite in steals and blocks in overall and conference-only games. Markwood averages 2.0 spg and just under 1.0 bpg on the year.

1 OF THE GREATS: Senior guard Amanda Jackson, has scored 1,784 career points heading into Saturday's game with Toledo. Jackson, who passed Heather Cusick as Miami's all-time leading scorer on Jan. 29, is within 16 points of another milestone. If Jackson reaches the 1,800 point mark, she would join Ron Harper, Wally Szczerbiak and Devin Davis as the only players in Miami basketball history to score 1,800 career points. BLOCK PARTY: Miami put together a stellar defensive performance in its 11-point win, 69-58, over Ball State on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Miami blocked nine shots in the game, which tied for second place on Miami's single-game blocks chart. Miami's nine blocks were the most blocks since the RedHawks blocked 10 shots against Northern Illinois on Feb. 4, 2006.

ON THE BRINK: Senior guard Amanda Jackson already broke Miami's all-time scoring record and now she is on the brink of breaking another long-standing record. Jackson has scored 517 points this season and needs just eight points to break the Miami single-season scoring record of 524 points set by Mary Ann Myers (1981-82) and Heather Cusick (2001-02). Jackson is also eight made free throws shy of breaking Myers record of free throws made in a season (136). Senior forward Laura Markwood and junior guard Jenna Schone are also closing in on Miami single-season records. Markwood is 36 rebounds away from setting the single-season rebounding record, while Schone needs 37 assists to break the single-season assists record. Finally, junior forward Stephanie Ford is 16 blocks shy of breaking the single-season blocks record.

STRIVE FOR FIVE: Miami looks for its fifth straight win for the first time this season and for the first time since the 2004-05 season, when the RedHawks travel to Toledo on Saturday. Miami's last five game win streak spanned from Feb. 9, 2005-Feb. 23, 2005.

MOVEMENT MONTH: With just under a month to play in the conference season, the RedHawks are one of five teams tied for the best record in the MAC. With such a large group clumped together at the top, February will decide a lot in the outcome of the conference race. Under head coach Maria Fantanarosa, Miami has performed best in the month of February as the RedHawks own a 47-34 recordin February, including a perfect 8-0 month in the 2003-04 season.

HOME COURT: Miami has taken advantage of its home court this season as the RedHawks have posted a 10-3 record at Millett Hall. With a win over Western Michigan on Feb. 9, Miami secured a winning record at home this season. Miami has three home games remaining this season and Miami's next home win would give the RedHawks 11 home wins for the first time since the 2003-04, season when the RedHawks collected an 11-2 home mark. ROAD WARRIORS: After a 1-4 road record in non-conference play, the RedHawks have found a way to win on the road in Mid-American Conference play. Four of Miami's seven conference wins have occurred away from Millett Hall, which doubles its conference road wins from the previous two conference seasons combined (2-15). In their four conference road wins, Miami is shooting 43.3-percent from the field and 38.5-percent from three. Miami also has five players averaging over eight points per game in conference away games.

JACKSON SITS ALONE: In her 100th career start as a RedHawk, senior guard Amanda Jackson scored 22 points in leading Miami to a 81-70 win over Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 29. While her 22 points led the RedHawks in scoring, it was her 20th point, a lay-up in the paint with 2:32 to play, that moved Jackson into first place on Miami's all-time scoring list. Heather Cusick, who held the scoring record since 2003, finished her career with 1,728 points. Jackson now ranks first on Miami's all-time scoring list (1,784 points), all-time field goal attempts list (1,554), made field goals list (620) and career 20-point games chart (36).

MILESTONE NIGHT: Miami's 81-70 win on Jan. 29 over Eastern Michigan was a night to remember for the Miami women's basketball program. Not only did senior guard Amanda Jackson become Miami's all-time leading scorer, but Miami Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa earned her 150th win at the helm of her alma mater. Fantanarosa has a record of 153-131 at Miami.

MAC-NIFICENT CAREER: With seven games remaining in the 2007-08 regular season, senior guard Amanda Jackson is averaging 22.5 ppg and is Miami's all-time leading scorer. Jackson is now moving her way up the MAC scoring chart. She has 1,784 career points, which ranks 17th on the MAC's all-time scoring list. Jackson currently ranks 8th in MAC history in career field goal attempts (1,554), 13th in steals (279), tied for 21st place in career field goals (620) and six free throws shy of 16th place in free throws made.

ASSAULT ON THE RECORD BOOKS: Senior guard Amanda Jackson, junior guard Jenna Schone, senior forward Laura Markwood and junior center Stephanie Ford are closing in on several of Miami's single-season charts. Below is where they stand heading into this weekend's contest.

JACKSON
-- Ranks 1st for most 20-point games in a season (17)
-- Ranks 3rd on free throws made chart with 129 this season
-- Ranks 3rd on the Miami single-season points list (517)
-- Tied for 4th on single-season free throw percentage list (.843)
-- 5th place on free throws attempted chart (153)
-- Ranks 5th on field goals attempted chart (424)
-- Tied for 9th place on the field goals made chart (174)
SCHONE
--Ranks 8th on made 3-pointers chart (58)
-- Ranks 9th on 3-point attempts chart (157)
-- Two assists away from breaking onto single-season chart
MARKWOOD
-- One double-double away from tying for ninth place on single-season list
-- 7th on Miami's single-season Top 10 rebounding chart (250)
-- Needs 36 rebounds to become Miami's single-season rebounding leader
FORD
--Tied for 5th on the single-season blocks chart (36)

JACKSON SETS SINGLE-GAME SCORING RECORD: Senior guard Amanda Jackson could not be stopped as she put up a Miami single-game record, 43 points, against UTSA on Dec. 29. Jackson was 12-of-19 from the field and 16-of-19 from the line. Kim Lancaster previously held the single-game scoring record when she put up 40 points against Ball State on March 6, 2001.

DYNAMIC DUO: Through Feb. 10, junior guard Jenna Schone and senior guard Amanda Jackson are the top scoring duo in the MAC and the eighth leading scoring duo in the country. Schone averages 13.4 ppg, while Jackson averages 22.4 ppg.