February 22, 2012

#6 Women's Basketball Hosts Capital in OAC Semifinals Thursday

Nationally ranked and top-seeded Mount Union (#6 in D3hoops.com and ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches polls) hosts fourth-seeded Capital in the semifinals of the 2012 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday at 7:30 pm at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.

The game will alo be LIVE on the radio on WRMU 91.1 FM and simulcast online with LIVE AUDIO and LIVE STATS right here.

Tickets will be available at the door for $7 for adults; $5 for seniors; $2 for students; OAC students FREE with ID ONLY OAC LIFETIME Passes honored

The OAC Tournament Champion receives bid to 64-team NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.  The NCAA Tournament consists of 42 conference champions receiving automatic bids, three spots reserved for teams for independents and 19 national at-large bids.  The bracket will be announced Monday at 2:30 pm with an online webcast at NCAA.com 

A new tournament format this season gave Mount Union (24-1) a double-bye to the semifinals while Capital (18-8) recieved a bye to the second round and elminated fifth-seeded Baldwin-Wallace, 63-54, Tuesday night in Columbus.

The Purple Raiders enter the tournament on a 19-game win streak and a 21-game home court win streak that dates back to the 2009-10 season.

Junior point guard Rosa LaMattina (Westlake/Westlake) leads the team and is fifth in the conference in scoring at 15.3 points per game, while leading the OAC in steals (3.4 per game) and third in assists (3.9 per game).

Seniors in guard Kori Wiedt (North Olmsted/North Olmsted) and forward Amanda Rose (Green/Green) are the other double digit scorers for the Raiders.  Wiedt is sixth in the OAC in scoring at 14.0 points per game and is third in the nation in three-point shooting (.475) while Rose averages 11.1 points per game and leads the team in rebounds at 5.2 per game.

The trio have all eclipsed 1,000 career points this season marking the first time in school history that three active 1,000-point scorers have played together.  On the school's all-time list, Wiedt is sixth with 1,188 points, LaMattina is 10th with 1,090 points while Rose is 12th with 1,044 points.  They bring the total to 13 players in Mount Union history with over 1,000 points.

Mount Union leads the conference in scoring offense at 73.6 points per game and is the top defensive team allowing just 55.4 points per game. The Raiders help that defense with a full court press and leading the OAC in steals at 11.9 per game.

Capital has won four of its last five games and is led by senior forward Shalena Hawkins.

Hawkins leads the Crusaders in scoring at 14.2 points per game and rebounding at 7.3 rebounds per game.  Fellow senior in guard Hilary Kuhns averages 10.2 points per game.

Capital is in the middle of the OAC in scoring offense ranking fifth at 64.8 points per game while fourth in scoring defense at 59.2 points per game.

THE SERIES

Mount Union has won six straight and eight of the last 10 meetings between the teams including both regular season matchups this season. The Raiders ran out to a big lead, 44-29 at halftime, in Alliance then held on for a 79-73 victory. In Columbus, Mount Union led by four at halftime and opened the second half on a 9-2 run and went on to a 66-57 win. Capital's last win in the series was a 66-64 win on Feb. 20, 2010 in Columbus.

Mount Union Career Scoring Records

1. Kerri Canning (1997-2001) - 1,605
2. Dana Zarzycki (1991-1995) - 1,580
3. Ashley Bourdeau (2001-2005) - 1,545
4. Suzy Venet (1994-1998) - 1,528
5. Tracy Wilson (1992-1996) - 1,228
6. Kori Wiedt (2008-present) - 1,188
7. Katie Harrington (1996-2000) - 1,184
8. Cindy Bash (1984-1987) - 1,175
9. Lauren Friedrich (2003-2007) - 1,110
10. Rosa LaMattina (2009-present) – 1,090
11. Alicia Williams (2004-2008) - 1,064
12. Amanda Rose (2008-present) - 1,044
13. Holly Rhodes (1990-1994) - 1,016

OAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Mount Union is making its 27th tournament appearance and has a 24-23 record with three titles in 1998, 2010 and 2011 with four runner-up finishes (1994, 1995, 1996, 2001). Current Raider head coach Suzy Venet has been a part of all three titles -- playing as a senior on the 1998 squad and coaching the 2010 and 2011 teams.

Capital is making its 28th appearance and has a 50-18 record with an OAC-best nine tournament titles and seven runner-up finishes. This is the Crusaders ninth straight trip to the semifinals. This will be the 10th meeting between the teams in the OAC Tounament.

Capital won the first seven meetings before Mount Union has two-straight wins in last year's semifinals in Alliance and the 2010 title game in Columbus.

• 1987: #1 Capital 82, #8 Mount Union 58 (Quarterfinals)
• 1994: #1 Capital 61, #2 Mount Union 50 (Championship)
• 1995: #1 Capital 63, #2 Mount Union 49 (Championship)
• 1996: #1 Capital 66, #2 Mount Union 50 (Championship)
• 1997: #1 Capital 67, #4 Mount Union 63 (Semifinals)
• 1999: #2 Capital 78, #3 Mount Union 67 (Semifinals)
• 2007: #2 Capital 52, #6 Mount Union 30 (Semifinals)
• 2010: #2 Mount Union 80, #1 Capital 71 (Championship)
• 2011: #1 Mount Union 79, #5 Capital 55 (Semifinals)

Follow all the action at the OAC Tournament website

PROJECTED STARTERS

MOUNT UNION

• Rosa LaMattina, Jr, PG - 15.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, 3.4 spg
• Kori Wiedt, Sr, G - 14.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg
• Amanda Rose, Sr, F - 11.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
• Tierney Allen, Jr, G – 6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg
• Erin Schmidt, Sr, G – 5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg

CAPITAL

• Shalena Hawkins - Sr., F - 14.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg
• Hilary Kuhns - Sr., G - 10.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg
• Stacy Timmerman - Jr., F - 9.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg
• Rebekah Will - Jr., G - 9.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
• Cookie Geroski - So., G - 8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg

MOUNT UNION PLAYER NOTES

Rosa LaMattina, Jr., PG, Westlake/Westlake

• 12^th player in school history to score over 1,000 career points - 10th on school's all-time list with (1,090)
• OAC Player of the Week (2/6/12)
• Season-high 25 points vs. Ohio Northern (1/7/12)
• Season-high 8 assists at Capital (1/28/12)
• Season-high 6 steals at Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Has scored in double figures in 23 games this season.
• MVP of Mount Union M Club Shootout
• Has started every game of college career - 85 games
• Career-high 27 points vs. Baldwin-Wallace (2/10/10)
• Two-time All-OAC Second Team
• 2009-10 OAC Freshman of the Year

Kori Wiedt, Sr. G, North Olmsted/North Olmsted

• 11th player in school history to score 1,000 career points - 6th on school's all-time list with 1,188 pts.
• OAC Player of the Week (1/23/12)
• Season-high 26 points vs Ohio Northern (1/7/12)
• Season-high 11 rebounds vs Capital (12/10/11)
• Season-high 5 assists vs Wilmington (2/4/12)
• Made 7 three-pointers at Muskingum (1/18/12)
• Has scored in double figures in 19 games this season
• Started all 30 games last season and has played in 107 career games
• School-record 226 career three-pointers made
• Career-high 31 points vs. Muskingum (12/6/08)
• Three-time All-OAC
• 2011 All-Great Lakes Region
• 2011 Academic All-OAC

Amanda Rose, Sr., F, Green/Green

• 13^th player in school history to score over 1,000 career points - 12th on school's all-time list with (1,044 points)
• 2012 Capital One Academic All-District 7 Second Team
• OAC Player of the Week (1/16/12)
• Season-high 20 points at Heidelberg (1/14/12)
• Season-high 10 rebounds vs. Bates (Me.) (12/19/11)
• Has scored in double figures in 17 games this season
• Has played in 111 career games and has started 108 games
• Career-high 21 points vs. Marietta (2/9/11)
• 2011 All-OAC Honorable Mention
• OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month - Dec. 2010
• Two-time Academic All-OAC
• Her father -- Dennis Rose '75 played basketball at Mount Union

Tierney Allen, Jr., G, Alliance/Alliance

• Season-high/career-high 15 points vs. Muskingum (2/1/12)
• Season-high four steals vs. Ohio Northern (1/7/12)
• Season-high five assists vs. Marietta (1/4/12) and vs. John Carroll (1/25/12)
• Season-high/career-high eight rebounds at Ohio Northern (2/11/12)
• Came off the bench in all 30 games last season
• Has played in 69 career games and started 24 games this season
• All-tournament team at Mount Union M Club Shootout

Erin Schmidt, Sr., G, Akron/Walsh Jesuit

• Has played in all 25 games this season and started the last 15 games
• Has scored double figures five times this season
• Season-high and career-best 12 points vs. Capital (12/10/11)
• Career-high eight rebounds vs. Marietta (1/4/12)

Brittany Kilgore, Jr., C, Northfield/Nordonia

• Started first three games of the season ... missed six games with an injury and has come off the bench in five games.
• Season-high 10 points at Westminster (Pa.) (11/15/11) and at Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) (11/19/11)
• Season-high 5 rebounds at Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) (11/19/11)
• Has played in 66 career games and made 10 starts
• Career-high 30 points vs. John Carroll (12/8/10)

Megan Saunders, So, F, Lakewood/Lakewood

• Has played in 25 games with five starts this season
• Season-high six points and career-high six rebounds vs. Allegheny (Pa.) (11/25/11) and at John Carroll (12/7/11)
• Career-high 10 points at St. John Fisher (N.Y.) (11/28/10)

Aly Daniel, Fr., C, Willard/Willard

• Has come off the bench in all 25 games so far this season
• Had season-best/career-best 15 points vs. Heidelberg (2/18/12)
• Had season-high/career-high eight rebounds at Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Has scored in double figures in six games this season

Amanda Tamerlano, Fr., G, North Royalton/North Royalton

• Has come off the bench in all 25 games and had first career start against John Carroll (12/7/11)
• Had season-high/career-high five points vs. Bates (Me.) (12/19/11) and vs. Otterbein (1/21/12)
• Had season-high/career-high four rebounds vs. Bates (Me.) (12/19/11)
• Had season-high/career-high three assists at Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) (11/19/11)

Kelly Evans, Sr., G, Twinsburg/Twinsburg

• Season-high seven points at Otterbein (12/3/11)
• Played in all 25 games and started vs. Heidelberg (2/18/12)
• Has played in 91 career games
• Season-high four rebounds at Marietta (2/8/12)
• Career-high eight points at Heidelberg (1/15/11)

Marybeth Leitch, Jr. F, Rocky River/Rocky River

• Has come off the bench in 24 games this season
• Had season/career-high six points vs. Allegheny (Pa.) (11/25/11) and vs. Wilmington (2/4/12)
• Had season/career-high eight rebounds vs. Wilmington (2/4/12)
• Came off the bench in 13 games in 2010-11

Olivia Holt, So, G, Williamsfield/Pymatuning Valley

• Has come off the bench in all 25 games this season
• Had season/career high five points at Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Hed season/career high four rebounds vs. Wilmington (12/17/11) and Heidelberg (2/18/12)
• Came off the bench in nine games in 2010-11

Maggie Miller, Jr, G, Salem/United Local

• Has come off the bench in all 25 games this season
• Had season/career-high eight points vs. Drew (N.J.) (12/20/11)
• Had season/career-high five assists vs. Heidelberg (2/18/12)
• Came off the bench in 20 games in 2010-11 and seven games in 2009-10