Feb. 27, 2006

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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS NATIONALLY-RANKED BOWLING GREEN: Miami University's women's basketball team (8-18; 3-12 MAC) closes out its regular season Tuesday night in Millett Hall, hosting nationally-ranked Bowling Green (24-2; 15-0 MAC), which enters the contest with a chance to become the first MAC team to post a perfect league season since Kent State in 1997-98. Miami, meanwhile, could clinch the No. 4 seed in the East and hosting rights to a first-round MAC Tournament game with an upset of the Falcons and an Ohio loss at Akron.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS: Sporting a 15-game winning streak, which ranks as the nation's fourth-longest active winning streak, Bowling Green enters Tuesday's contest looking to tie up the outright MAC Championship for the second straight season. BGSU, which has won its last 18 regular-season conference games, is coached by fifth-year mentor Curt Miller, who led the Falcons to an NCAA Tournament bid in 2005. Paced by four players averaging in double figures, BGSU is led by the junior trio of Ali Mann (14.7 ppg/7.5 rpg), Liz Honegger (13.3 ppg/7.8 rpg) and Carin Horne (12.0 pgg/57 steals). Sophomore Kate Achter averages 11.0 ppg and ranks second in the MAC at 4.7 assists per game. The Falcons lead the MAC with an average scoring margin of +13.0 ppg.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES: Miami and Bowling Green, two of the MAC's three winningest all-time programs, are meeting for the 56th time Tuesday night ... BGSU owns a 32-23 series edge over Miami and has won the last four meetings between the teams ... the Falcons have eliminated the RedHawks from the last two MAC Tournaments ... the series is tied at 12-12 in Oxford, where Bowling Green has not won since 1999 ... Miami had won five straight games over BGSU until a one-point loss in the 2004 MAC Semifinals.

LAST MEETING--Bowling Green 80, Miami 58 (Jan. 21, 2006): Rocked by a dismal first half and a season-high 33 turnovers, Miami was unable to get on track versus Bowling Green until it was too late. Miami trailed by just three at 12:07 in the first half but was outscored 33-11 over the remainder of the half. The Red and White was competitive in the second half, outscoring the Falcons by three points over the final 20 minutes, but the damage had been done. The RedHawks, who trailed by as many as 25, could get no closer than 18 points the rest of the way. Miami's season-high 33 turnovers--the program's highest total since 2000--resulted in 37 Bowling Green points.

TAKING ON THE TOP 25: For the second time this season, Miami finds itself facing an opponent ranked in the Top 25 nationally ... BGSU, which entered the week at No. 25, broke into the polls on Feb. 13 ... Earlier this season, Miami fell 82-50 at then-No. 20 Vanderbilt ...Miami is hosting a program ranked in the Top 25 for the third time in its history, hosting No. 13 Vanderbilt last season and No. 25 Toledo in 1993-94 ... The last time Miami faced a MAC opponent ranked in the Top 25 was on Feb. 19, 1994, when it upset No. 25 Toledo, 73-67 ... Bowling Green is just the seventh MAC team all-time to earn a spot in the Top 25.

SENIOR SALUTE: Miami will honor seniors Cindi Merrill and Amber Miller prior to the Bowling Green game Tuesday night, in what could be the duo's last game in Millett Hall. During their four-year careers, Merrill and Miller have helped Miami to two MAC East Championships and an overall MAC Championship in 2003-04, while amassing 62 wins. Merrill ranks among Miami's all-time leaders in points, free throws, field goals and 20-point games, while Miller is just outside Miami's career top 10 in blocked shots.

STILL A CHANCE: Though Miami has had its share of struggles in league play, the RedHawks enter Tuesday night's game with a chance to tie up the No. 4 seed in the MAC East and earn home court for the first round of the MAC Tournament. With an upset win over Bowling Green and an Ohio loss at Akron Tuesday, Miami could forge a tie for fourth-place in the East with Ohio. By virtue of a win over East Division champion Bowling Green, Miami would tie the Bobcats in the first two tiebreakers (head-to-head record, divisional record) but earn the nod on the third tiebreaker (record versus ranked teams in division). With the fourth seed, Miami would host either Ball State, Northern Illinois or Central Michigan. A loss or Ohio win would send Miami on the road.

MAC POSTSEASON TAKING SHAPE: The MAC Tournament field continues to come together with a handful of seeds being decided by games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

East Division--Bowling Green (15-1) has clinched the division title, while Kent State (11-4) and Buffalo (5-10) are locked in at second and third, respectively ... Ohio (4-11) can clinch fourth-place and a first-round home game with a win or a Miami loss ... Miami (3-12) needs a win and an Ohio loss to forge a fourth-place tie and host a first-round home game ... Akron (2-13) is locked into the sixth seed.

West Division--Eastern Michigan (14-1) has clinched the division title, while Western Michigan (10-5) has locked up the No. 2 seed ... Ball State (8-7) can secure the No. 3 seed with a win over Northern Illinois Tuesday ... Northern Illinois (7-8), currently situated in fourth, needs a win over BSU and a Central Michigan defeat of EMU to force a three-way tie that would allow it to move into third ... CMU (7-8), currently fifth, can move into fourth with a win and an NIU loss ... Toledo (4-11) is locked into the sixth seed.

HOME SWEET HOME: Miami concludes its 32nd regular season in Millett Hall tonight, owning a 4-6 home record to date. The RedHawks, who own an all-time record of 243-112 (.685) in Millett Hall, are in danger of finishing below .500 on their home court for the first time since 1991-92. The RedHawks have captured two of their three MAC wins at home, and, are scoring nearly 5.0 ppg more while allowing 6.0 ppg less at home.

NEXT UP: Depending on Tuesday's results, Miami will either host a MAC Tournament game on Saturday, March 4, or travel to a first-round MAC Tournament site on that date. If Miami were to host a MAC Tournament game, it would take place at 4:30 p.m., following the men's regular-season finale versus Buffalo. Miami's potential first-round opponents include Northern Illinois, Ball State and Central Michigan.