SBU BEARCATS (7-18, 4-14) at NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY BEARCATS (8-17, 4-14)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009 • 5:30 PM
MARYVILLE, MO • BEARCAT ARENA
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com
INTERNET VIDEO: www.themiaa.tv  (free through Penn Atlantic)
LIVE STATS: www.nwmissouri.edu/sports/womensbball/stats/xlive.htm
    
SBU NOTES | NWMSU NOTES

The SBU Bearcats battle for the final spot in the MIAA Tournament when they travel to Maryville to take on the Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State. Both Bearcat teams are tied for ninth, a game back of Missouri Western, who plays at UCM on Wednesday. With a win in their last two games against NWMSU and MWSU, SBU would advance to the MIAA Tournament. If SBU finishes tied with Missouri Western or Northwest Missouri for eighth place, SBU would own the tiebreaker against either team, due to their win against Emporia State. The first MIAA tiebreaker is head-to-head, followed by comparative records against league opponents, starting with the highest seed.

Senior Courtney Creed leads the Bearcats with 16.7 points per game and is tied for second in the MIAA. Creed is sixth in field goal percentage (44.2%). Senior Courtney Shewmaker (4th - 3.84) and junior Rachel Graves (10th - 3.32) rank in the MIAA top ten in assists. Graves also ranks seventh in treys made (1.96), with Creed in eighth (1.88). The trio also ranks among the top six (Shewmaker-4th, 1.52; Graves-5th, 1.38; Creed-6th, 1.31) in assist-to-turnover ratio. SBU leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.00), three-point percentage (37.5%), and three-pointers made (9.04 per game).
    
THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Northwest leads the all-time series 24-20, though SBU won 82-79 in Bolivar on January 17. These teams battled three times in 2007-08: NWMSU won a shootout in Maryville 101-97, SBU won 85-80 in Bolivar and NWMSU won 82-58 in the finals of the MIAA Tournament. J.C. Carter is in his first season as SBU head coach. Gene Steinmeyer is in his tenth season guiding Northwest Missouri. 

SCOUTING THE NORTHWEST BEARCATS
Senior guard Meghan Brue is the top scorer for NWMSU at 14.4 points per game. She's also the top rebounder on the green Bearcats with 6.9 per game. Rickeya McElroy, who had 25 vs. SBU in the first meeting, averages 11.7 points off the bench. Jessica Burton is third in scoring at 11.5 per game.

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