GAME 1 - SBU BEARCATS (8-20 in '08-09)
vs MARYVILLE SAINTS (22-6 in '08-09)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009 • 5:00 PM
GAME 2 - SBU BEARCATS
vs IOWA WESLEYAN TIGERS OR QUINCY LADY HAWKS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009 • 3:00 or 5:00 PM
QUINCY TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT • QUINCY, IL • PEPSI ARENA
RADIO: KBFL 99.9 FM INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com
SBU NOTES
QUINCY, Ill. -- The SBU Bearcats kick off the 2009-10 season with a trip to Quincy, Illinois, for the Quincy Tip-Off Tournament. The Bearcats look to climb the MIAA ranks, and return three starters from last year's 8-20 campaign. SBU was picked to finish eighth in the MIAA preseason coaches' poll, but the 'Cats look to surprise a few opponents along the way and make an impact late into the season. Senior Rachel Graves is SBU's leading returning scorer, averaging 13.3 points a game last year. Jasmine Sanford, a senior forward from Brewton, Alabama, was last season's leading rebounder with 5.2 boards per game. Both Graves and Sanford look to improve their own play while leading a young team composed of five freshman and three transfers. After coming off the bench most of last season, junior Courtney Heady, the conference leader in three-point percentage, will be a projected starter. Australian Ashleigh Gallio begins the season as the starting point guard for the Bearcats.
THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
J.C. Carter begins his second year as head coach of the Bearcats. Last season, he led SBU to a berth in the MIAA Tournament. Chris Ellis is entering his ninth year as coach of the Maryville Saints, where he has recorded a 155-61 record. Quincy head coach J.D. Gravina is beginning his third season on the bench with the Lady Hawks, leading them to a Great Lakes Valley Conference title last season. Steve Williamson is head coach for Iowa Wesleyan, and has won 99 games over his 5 years there. The Bearcats lead the all-time series over Quincy (6-1), but this will be the first meeting between the 'Cats and Maryville, as well as Iowa Wesleyan, if they meet.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Maryville Saints are looking for success at the Division II level, after moving up from Division III competition last season. The Saints won the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in their final season, but lost in the first round of the Division III tournament. With almost an entire roster of freshmen and sophomores, the Saints lone senior Mikal Bencomo is the leading scorer returning from last season. Bencomo averaged 5.5 points per game along with 2 rebounds per game. Senior forward Lindsey Stellflue is Quincy's leading returning scorer from last season; Stellflue averaged 11 points per game, along with four rebounds. The Lady Hawks are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament, after being upset by the University of Indianapolis in the second round. Iowa Wesleyan lost their top four scorers from last season's 22-10 team that won the Midwest Collegiate Conference championship. Sophomore Anna Jones, who mostly came off the bench for the Tigers, averaged 7.1 points and appeared in all 32 games last year.
NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
Next week, the Bearcats host the Northeastern State (Okla.) RiverHawks, followed by a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents in Quincy and Drury, at the SBU Thanksgiving Classic. The RiverHawks started the season at the Disney Tip-Off Classic, where they went 2-1, losing a one point game to Gannon before defeating North Alabama and Shippensburg. They followed the trip to Orlando up with a win over Missouri Southern in their home opener. Jasmine Webb and Alix Perkins each lead Northeastern State with 12.3 points a game. While Quincy will likely be a rematch from this week, the game against Drury will be the first matchup between the two schools since 2001. The Lady Panthers started off their season with an upset win over nationally ranked Grand Valley State, in which five players scored in double figures led by Melanie Oliver with 18 and Lindsay Ballweg with 17.
