Nov. 26, 2004
Final Stats
OXFORD, Ohio--Miami University's women's basketball team started fast and finished strong Friday night in the first round of the Florida State Seminole Classic, overwhelming Appalachian State 80-62 and advancing to 3-0 to become just the fourth team in program history to win its first three games.
Behind six quick points from sophomore Amanda Jackson (Springfield, OH/South), an aggressive Miami team scored the first 10 points of the game and held the Mountaineers without a bucket until the 16:06 mark. Jackson continued to simmer, scoring 12 of Miami's first 20 points as the RedHawks built a 20-5 edge and forced an ASU timeout with 12:53 remaining in the half. The Mountaineers made a defensive switch and rallied to within 12 out of the timeout, but Miami quickly regrouped and a pair of Amber Miller (Vermilion, OH/Vermilion) free throws at 8:26 pressed Miami's edge to 28-8.
The RedHawk edge would grow as high as 21, but a trio of Mountaineer 3-pointers and some Miami miscues closed the gap to within 34-25 by the five-minute mark. Nicki Motto (Dayton, OH/Oakwood) stopped the ASU run with the RedHawks' first trey of the night at 4:53, and Miami would sustain its 12-point edge, 42-30, into the halftime locker room. Jackson led the way in the half, tallying 14 points, while Miller and Cindi Merrill (Noblesville, IN/Noblesville) each added 10 points.
Appalachian State scored the first bucket of the second half to close to within 10, but that was as close as the Mountaineers would get. Motto knocked down three treys over the first eight minutes of the second half, and the RedHawks continued to swarm ASU with their relentless defensive pressure, building a 64-39 edge with 12:16 to play. With Appalachian State tiring and the RedHawk defense continuing to swarm, the Mountaineers would never seriously challenge again.
Jackson, who connected on her first 10 free throws, finished with a game and career-high 27 points. Miller also upped her career high on the night, contributing 14 points and a career-high four steals, while Merrill added 13 points and Motto contributed 12. Miami's defense forced 21 Mountaineer turnovers, including 14 steals, while restricting ASU to just 33 percent shooting from the field.
The RedHawks continue Seminole Classic action Saturday night at 8 p.m. when they take on the winner of the Eastern Kentucky-Florida State contest in the 8 p.m. game.
