Feb. 18, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

UP AHEAD: Miami returns to Mid-American Conference East Division play when the RedHawks travel to Buffalo for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Feb. 20. The RedHawks then return home, where they have three of their final four games at Millett Hall, starting with a 2 p.m. game versus MAC East co-leader Bowling Green on Saturday, Feb. 23.

ABOUT BUFFALO: The Bulls head into the week with a 12-12 overall record and a 5-6 league mark. Buffalo has four players averaging over eight points per game led by Stephanie Bennett and Heather Turner, who average 12.8 and 11.7 ppg, respectively. Turner also leads the Bulls in rebounding, averaging 7.6 rpg. The Bulls have dropped their last two MAC games at Western Michigan, 67-73, and versus Central Michigan, 57-80.

THE SERIES WITH THE BULLS: Wednesday marks the 17th meeting between Buffalo and Miami, with the RedHawks owning a 9-7 lead in the all-time series. In January, the Bulls came into Oxford in the MAC opener and left Oxford with a 62-57 win. Miami owns a 5-3 record over the Bulls when playing in Buffalo, including a 72-59 win in Alumni Arena last season.

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.

1 OF THE GREATS: A free throw with 5:11 to play in Miami's 76-60 win over Toledo on Feb. 16, cemented senior guard Amanda Jackson as one of the top scorers in Miami basketball history. Jackson finished with 18 points in the game, leaving her with 1,802 points, and she joined Ron Harper, Wally Szczerbiak and Devin Davis as the only players in Miami history to eclipse 1,800 points in a career.

UN-CHART-ED TERRITORY: Senior guard Amanda Jackson broke Miami's all-time scoring record at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29 and Jackson broke another long-standing Miami record on the road on Saturday, Feb. 16. A three-point play by Jackson early in the first half at Toledo, moved her past Mary Ann Myers' and Heather Cusick's single-season points record of 524 points. Myers scored 524 points during the 1981-82 season and Cusick matched that record during the 2001-02 season. Jackson currently has 535 points this season.

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 five-game winning streak. Schone has lifted her game averaging 17.0 points per game and 6.20 assists per game over the past five contests. Schone is shooting 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field and 47.5 percent (19-of-40) from three.

KNOCK ON WOODY: 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 (10.6 rpg) and conference-only games (11.5 rpg), also ranks among the MAC's elite in steals and blocks in overall and conference-only games. Markwood averages 1.9 spg and just under 1.0 bpg on the year. Markwood has also grabbed over 10 rebounds in seven of Miami's last eight contests.

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.

START TO FINISH: Miami has played at a high level during its five-game winning streak and especially over the past three games. Miami has not trailed in its last 120:29 of competition since Miami was down one-point to Central Michigan with :29 seconds to play in the game on Feb. 2. Miami has led or been tied from the tip to the final horn in wins over Western Michigan, Ball State and Toledo.

TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF: Last season, Miami ranked 12th in MAC-only games in scoring defense, giving up over 77 points a game. This season, the RedHawks rank second in the conference in scoring defense in MAC-only games, giving up 64.0 ppg, and the difference has been Miami's ability to take care of the ball and force turnovers for its opposition. In conference-only games, Miami leads the MAC in turnover margin, +6.8, and averages four more steals per game than its opponents.

ON THE BRINK: Senior guard Amanda Jackson is three made free throws shy of breaking Mary Ann 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 20 rebounds away from setting the single-season rebounding record, while Schone needs 30 assists to break the single-season assists record. Finally, junior forward Stephanie Ford is 14 blocks shy of breaking the single-season blocks record.

MOVEMENT MONTH: With just under a month to play in the conference season, the RedHawks are one of four 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 48-34 record in February, including a perfect 8-0 month in the 2003-04 season. Miami is 4-0 this season in February.

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. Five of Miami's eight conference wins have occurred away from Millett Hall, which matches its conference road wins from the previous three conference seasons combined (5-20). In its five conference road wins, Miami is shooting 43.1-percent from the field and 36.4-percent from three. Miami also has six players averaging over six points per game in road conference wins.

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 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 (1,802 points), all-time field goal attempts list (1,565), made field goals list (625) 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 154-131 at Miami.

MAC-NIFICENT CAREER: With five games remaining in the 2007-08 regular season, senior guard Amanda Jackson is averaging 22.3 ppg and is Miami's all-time leading scorer. Jackson is now moving her way up the MAC scoring chart. She has 1,804 career points, which ranks 16th on the MAC's all-time scoring list. Jackson currently ranks 8th in MAC history in career field goal attempts (1,565), 13th in steals (283), 19th in career field goals (625) and one 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 on the Miami single-season points list (535)
-- Ranks 1st for most 20-point games in a season (17)
-- Ranks 2nd on free throws made chart with 134 this season
-- 4th place on free throws attempted chart (160)
-- Tied for 5th on single-season free throw percentage list (.838)
-- Ranks 5th on field goals attempted chart (435)
-- Ranks 5th place on the field goals made chart (179)
SCHONE
-- Ranks 6th on 3-point attempts chart (168)
--Tied for 8th on made 3-pointers chart (60)
-- Ranks 8th on single-season assits chart with 139
MARKWOOD
-- 2nd on Miami's single-season Top 10 rebounding chart (266)
-- One double-double away from tying for ninth place on single-season list
-- Needs 20 rebounds to become Miami's single-season rebounding leader
FORD
--Tied for 4th on the single-season blocks chart (38)

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.