March 1, 2004

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REDHAWKS HOST KENT STATE IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE: Miami University's women's basketball team (20-6; 14-1 MAC) attempts to avenge its lone league loss Tuesday night when it hosts East Division rival Kent State University (18-8; 11-4 MAC) in the teams' final tune-up before the MAC Tournament.

The RedHawks, who have won 12 consecutive games since a Jan. 14 overtime loss at Kent State, already have secured their first MAC Title and 20-win season since 1989-90. Led by a quartet of players that are all averaging over 14.0 points per game since the start of league play, Maria Fantanarosa's squad aims to even the season series with what has become the program's biggest rival over the past four years. Miami and Kent State have combined to win every MAC East title since divisional play began in 1997-98.

The hottest team in the MAC other than Miami is Kent State, which has won seven straight games and is making a strong play at a No. 3 seed and first-round bye for the MAC Tournament. Tied for the second-best league record in the MAC, the Golden Flashes have allowed a league-low 59.3 ppg since the start of league play.

Leading Kent State is sophomore forward Lindsay Shearer, who averages 14.0 ppg and 7.4 rpg, while dishing 56 assists on the season. Junior center Andrea Csaszar, who stands 6-foot-6, averages 12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg and has blocked a league-leading 70 shots this season. Sophomore guard Malika Willoughby leads the MAC, averaging 6.7 assists per game.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES: Tuesday's contest marks the 62nd between Miami and Kent State, with Miami maintaining a narrow 32-29 series edge. An 82-77 overtime defeat of Miami on Jan. 14, gave Kent State its fourth defeat of the RedHawks in the past five outings. When playing in Oxford, the series has gone heavily in Miami's favor, with the Red and White posting a 21-3 edge. The teams have split their last four regular-season series, with the home team prevailing in seven of the last nine meetings between the teams. Kent State edged Miami, 61-60, in their last visit to Oxford during the 2002-03 campaign.

THE LAST MEETING-Kent State 82, Miami 77 (Jan. 14, 2004): A late comeback effort and a break-out game from freshman Amanda Jackson were not enough, as Miami dropped an 82-77 decision at Kent State. After leading early, Miami suffered through a first-half drought in which Kent State built a 44-37 lead. The RedHawks were able to slow the Golden Flash post game in the second half, rallying to regain the lead, 48-47, at 16:25. The game went back-and-forth from there, with Colleen Day finally sending the contest into overtime with a 3-point field goal at the 54-second mark. Miami went cold in overtime, as Kent State picked up the win.

RULING THE EAST: Miami and Kent State, who have combined to occupy the top two spots in the MAC East for the past five seasons, have had a stranglehold on the division since 1999-2000. Over that span, the Golden Flashes have posted a 42-6 (.875) mark in regular-season contests versus the MAC East, while the RedHawks have assembled a 40-8 (.833) record- four of KSU's losses and five of Miami's losses came against each other. KSU won the first five MAC East titles until Miami halted that streak with its first MAC East Championship in 2002-03 and repeated this season.

IMMOVABLE MEETS UNSTOPPABLE: Something has to give in Tuesday's contest between Kent State and Miami in which the Golden Flashes boast the league's top scoring defense and the RedHawks own the MAC's highest-scoring offense. Since the start of MAC play, Miami has averaged a blistering 80.1 ppg, while Kent State has restricted the opposition to a meager 59.3 ppg. The Golden Flashes have not allowed an opponent to score more than 70 points in the past 11 games, while Miami has been held under 70 points only twice in 15 league games. Miami's 77 points in the teams' last meeting is the most allowed by Kent State versus a MAC team this season.

MILLETT MAGIC: After a down year in 2002-03, the home court advantage has returned in full force for Miami. This season, the Red and White has posted an 11-1 home record, including a current nine-game winning streak. The RedHawks have won 33 of their last 42 (.786) games in Millett Hall and have reeled off 11 consecutive non-losing seasons on their home floor. With its defeat of Buffalo Saturday, Miami matched its longest winning streak under Fantanarosa, established between the 2000-2001 and 2001-02 campaigns. The longest home winning streak in program history is 13 games from Feb. 25, 1981 to Dec. 1, 1982. The standard for most consecutive home wins during the same season is 10, achieved by both the 1981-82 and 1982-83 teams.

MAC CHAMPIONS: With 14 league wins in its first 15 games, Miami has claimed the program's first Mid-American Conference Championship since 1989-90 season and second straight MAC East title. With one game still to be played, Miami is trying to become just the third MAC team to win 15 league games since the MAC instituted the 16-game season. Overall, Miami is trying to become just the 12th MAC team to finish a season with one or fewer losses. Kent State (1998 & 2000) and Toledo (2001) are the only MAC teams to win 15 or more league games in divisional play.

THE BIG 2-0: With its defeat of Buffalo last Saturday, Miami reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since 1989-90 when the Red and White won 23 games. In 30 years of Miami women's basketball, the RedHawks have won 20 games in a season only five times, including three straight from 1980-83. The program record for wins in a season came in 1981-82, when the Red and White won 24 of a program-record 33 games. The team's highest winning percentage came in 1989-90 when it lost a program-record low five games and finished 23-5 (.821).

THE STREAK IN PERSPECTIVE: Miami's present 12-game winning streak is its longest under head coach Maria Fantanarosa and tied for the third-longest in program history ... the last time Miami won 12 in a row was in 1990 ... the program record for consecutive wins is 14 in 1982-83 ... Miami's present winning streak is just the fourth of 10 games or longer in program history, with all four teams going on to win MAC Championships ... all 12 wins in Miami's current streak have come against MAC foes ... Miami's all-time longest winning streak versus the MAC is 13 in 1982-83 ... of Miami's last 12 wins, five have come on the road and seven at home.

UP NEXT: Miami travels to Cleveland to take part in the 2004 Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball Tournament. The top-seeded RedHawks, who are making their fifth straight trip to the MAC Quarterfinal rounds, will play an opponent still to be determined at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10 in Cleveland's Gund Arena. Should the RedHawks successfully reach their fourth straight MAC Semifinal round, they would take the court again at Noon on Friday, March 12. The MAC Championship game, which Miami has not participated in since 1995, is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 13. The semifinal and championship games will be televised by FoxSports Ohio. For questions on tickets for the MAC Tournament, contact the Miami Athletic Ticket Office at 1-866-MUHAWKS.

FAB FEBRUARY: When Punxsutawney Phil peeked out of his hole on Feb. 2, the shadow that scared him back into his hole may have been that of a RedHawk squad that was looming large and preparing to storm through the month of February. Miami went a flawless 8-0 in the month, setting a season-best for wins in a month under Maria Fantanarosa and continuing a recent trend of February success. Over the last four years, Miami has posted a 25-5 (.833) mark in the month. The program record for wins in a month also was set in February, when the 1981-82 squad posted a 10-1 mark in the midst of a 13-game winning streak. Only the 1989-90 and 1982-83 teams have previously gone unbeaten in a month that featured at least eight games.

POWER RATED: Miami continues to improve its NCAA Tournament chances by posting strong showings in the power rankings. The RedHawks have ascended to the top 65 in both the Sagarin and RPI.com rankings, placing a season-best No. 59 according to RPI.com and No. 61 in the Sagarin ratings. Miami is first in the MAC in both sets of rankings, ranking 13 spots higher than Kent State on CollegeRPI.com and one spot ahead of Eastern Michigan in the Sagarins. Miami has not lost to a team ranked outside of the top 90 of the Sagarin rankings this season, posting a perfect 13-0 record. The RedHawks are 3-6 versus team ranked among the Top 90 in the Sagarin ratings.