March 15, 2008

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UP AHEAD: Miami plays in its first Mid-American Conference Championship game since the 1994-95 season when the RedHawks play Ohio at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Miami split its season series with Ohio, including a 82-72 overtime win 10 days ago in its regular season finale at Millett Hall.

LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY: Miami plays in its first MAC Championship game since the 1994-95 season and the RedHawks are in search of their first ever NCAA Tournament berth. Miami is also looking to become just the fourth team in Mid-American Conference history to have a losing record the season before winning the MAC tournament. The other teams to accomplish the feat are Central Michigan in 1983, Ohio in 1986 and Eastern Michigan in 2004.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RECORD: With six assists in Miami's MAC Tournament Semifinal win over Toledo, junior guard Jenna Schone set Miami's single-season assist record with 170 assists. Schone broke Heather Cusick's record of 168 assists during the 2001-02 season.

ON THE BRINK: Heading into the MAC Championship game, three RedHawk players are on the verge of breaking Miami and MAC records. Junior guard Jenna Schone needs two more three-pointers to set the Miami single-season three-pointers record, while junior center Stephanie Ford needs one block to become the Miami single-season blocks leader. Senior forward Laura Markwood needs just 14 rebounds to set the Mid-American Conference single-season record of 353 rebounds. Markwood has 340 rebounds through 32 games this season.

ELITE COMPANY: Tying a career-high with seven steals against Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Quarterfinals, senior guard Amanda Jackson became the second player in Mid-American Conference History to eclipse 1,800 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals. Jackson joins Toledo's Kim Knuth (1995-99) as the only players in MAC history to record those career numbers. Jackson currently has 1,938 points, 509 rebounds, 308 steals and 322 assists.

REDHAWK REVIEW: Miami's seniors led the RedHawks to a Mid-American Conference Quarterfinal win over Western Michigan on Tuesday. Senior forward Laura Markwood scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed a game-best 13 rebounds, while senior guard Amanda Jackson scored 17 points and tied a career-high with seven steals. Jackson's seven steals marked the first time since Feb. 25, 2004, that a RedHawk player had seven steals in a game, which was accomplished by Jackson.

REGULAR-SEASON IN REVIEW: Miami concluded its regular season with a 82-72 overtime win over Ohio on March 5. The win gave Miami a 20-10 overall record and a 12-4 MAC record. After winning its first two games of the MAC Tournament , the RedHawks have won 22 games this season, their sixth 20-win season in program history and their first since the 2003-04 season. Miami's 22 wins are two more wins than its past two seasons combined. Miami's 12 conference wins are three more wins than the past two conference campaigns combined.

SENIORS MAKE IT A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: Playing their last game in Millett Hall, senior forward Laura Markwood and senior guard Amanda Jackson carried the RedHawks to its 20th win of the season. Markwood, a MAC Defensive Player of the Year candidate, scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds, one rebound short of her ninth double-double of the season. MAC Player of the Year candidate, Jackson, scored 19 points and eclipsed 1,900 career points. Trailing by five points with 3:18 to play in the game, Jackson and Markwood carried Miami by scoring its final 20 points over the final 8:18 of the game.

ON THE RUN: Since defeating Eastern Michigan on Jan. 29, the RedHawks have won 11 of their past 12 games. During that streak, senior forward Laura Markwood has been a force for Miami. Markwood is averaging 12.1 ppg and 10.9 rpg during that stretch, while senior guard Amanda Jackson and junior guard Jenna Schone are averaging 19.1 ppg and 15.3 ppg, respectively.

NEWEST MEMBER OF 1,000 POINT CLUB: Scoring 24 of her 29 points in the second half of Miami's 89-79 win at Akron on Saturday, March 1, junior guard Jenna Schone became the 17th Miami women's basketball player to eclipse 1,000 career points. Schone accomplished the feat 87 games into her career, making Schone the seventh fastest player in Miami history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

REBOUNDING CROWN: Senior forward Laura Markwood became Miami's single-season rebounding leader during Miami's win over Kent State on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Markwood currently has 332 rebounds this season, making her the 11th player in MAC history to grab 300 rebounds in a season. Markwood needs 14 rebounds to become the MAC's single-season rebounding leader and she currently is third on the MAC's single-season rebounding list.

BEHIND THE ARC: Miami has had its best season behind the arc in school history this season. The RedHawks have hit 212 three-pointers this season, which shattered the previous team record of 184 three's set during the 1999-2000 season.

A MIAMI WIN WOULD:
-- Give Miami its first MAC Tournament Championship
-- Give Miami its 12th win in its last 13 games
-- Be Miami's first NCAA Tournament berth
-- Make Miami 2-1 against Ohio this season
A MIAMI LOSS WOULD:
-- Give Ohio a MAC Tournament championship and a NCAA Tournament berth
-- Make Ohio 2-1 against Miami this season