SBU BEARCATS (7-17, 5-12 MIAA) at
NEBRASKA-OMAHA MAVERICKS (12-12, 7-10 MIAA)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2010 • 1:30 PM
OMAHA, NE • SAPP FIELDHOUSE
LIVE STATS: www.sidearmstats.com/unomaha/wbball/
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com/kbfl.aspx
VIDEO: www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=296 (B2 networks pay-per-view)

SBU NOTES | UNO NOTES

OMAHA, Neb. – The SBU Bearcats kept their MIAA hopes alive Thursday night with a win against Fort Hays, and now face the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks in what is a pivotal matchup to the 'Cats' postseason hopes. The Mavericks currently sit tied for seventh in the MIAA standings, two games up on the Bearcats with just three games to play.

After starting the conference season 1-10, the Bearcats have hit their stride over the past three weeks, winning four of their last six games. Senior Rachel Graves has helped lead SBU as they turn the corner, averaging 17.8 points in the month of February. Graves has raised her scoring average more than a full point, going from 12.4 at the end of January, to 13.5 (9th in MIAA) heading to Omaha. Graves also leads the team in three-point percentage (39.4%, 4th in MIAA) and threes made per game (2.7, 4th in MIAA).

Courtney Heady has scored in double figures in four of her last five games, including hitting a new career high with 20 at Pitt State earlier this month. Heady is also among the league leaders in scoring, ranking 17th with 11.6 points per game. Along with Graves, Heady ranks in the top ten in the MIAA in both three-point percentage (36.4%, 8th), and treys made (2.7, 5th)

Point guard Ashleigh Gallio has been the workhorse of the Bearcat offense, averaging 32.7 minutes a game, second-most in the MIAA. Gallio has shown she can be a threat by making her own shot, as she demonstrated against Emporia State, putting up a career high 28 points against the nationally-ranked Lady Hornets, or by distributing the ball, as she did against Pittsburg State in the 'Cats upset win, when she collected a personal high eight assists.

Freshman Kourtni Williams has stepped up during the Bearcats' recent success, averaging 10 points since earning a starting spot against Pitt State. Her career highs in points (14), rebounds (6), and field goals (6) helped knock off Fort Hays earlier this week.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES  
SBU head coach J.C. Carter earned his fifteenth career win against Fort Hays earlier this week. Currently in his second year as head coach, Carter led the Bearcats to an upset of nationally-ranked Emporia State on their home court last season, and knocked off Missouri Western on the last game of the regular season to earn a berth over the Griffons into the MIAA Tournament.
   
Mavericks head coach Patty Patton Shearer is UNO's all-time leader in winning percentage. Omaha has enjoyed four straight winning seasons under the Shearer era, and has enjoyed a record of 94-73 over almost six seasons. After UNO's win over the Bearcats earlier this season, the Mavs lead the all-time series over SBU, 4-2. The last Bearcat win over Omaha came as a non-conference matchup in the 1998-99 season.
    
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS      
Nebraska-Omaha is one of the two schools tied for seventh in the MIAA standings, two games up on the Bearcats, making this contest vitally important to SBU's postseason hopes. Omaha has stumbled lately, dropping three of their last four matchups. Other than the loss to Emporia State two weeks ago, however, each of their last three games have been decided by 3, 7, and 3 points, respectively. The Mavs could give SBU some trouble on the offensive end, as Omaha holds opponents to just 27% shooting from beyond the arc, best in the MIAA. Freshman guard Jamie Nash is in the top ten nationally in steals per game (3.2), while senior Alyssa Green is averaging 2.5 steals a game as well, second-most in the league. Green (15.1 ppg) is also the team's leading scorer, and ranks sixth in the conference.

NEXT UP FOR THE SBU BEARCATS 
The Bearcats will host Northwest Missouri State next Tuesday, February 23 in the final home game of the 2010 season. Seniors Rachel Graves, Jasmine Sanford, and Carissa Morrill will be recognized as part of the Senior Night festivities. As well as celebrating the careers of these two seniors, SBU will have an incredibly important game in terms of positioning themselves for a run in Kansas City; the battle of the Bearcats could be a must-win for SBU depending on how this weekend's games play out. Currently tied for fifth in the MIAA, Northwest has dropped three of their last four, including an overtime loss to Truman and a double-overtime thriller to Pittsburg State. Abby Henry (16.9) and Gentry Dietz (16.3) are third and fourth in the MIAA in scoring.