Miami Ohio University Athletics
Years to Remember: 2007-08 Women’s Basketball
4/17/2020 10:44:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Introduction
After claiming the MAC East Title in back-to-back seasons in 2002-03 and 2003-04, Miami finished in the middle of the pack the next three seasons. Coming into the 2007-08 season, the RedHawks looked to bring home another MAC East Title but ended up bringing home so much more.
Tough Opener
The RedHawks were selected to compete in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) to begin the season but drew a road game at No. 24 Notre Dame in the season opener. The Fighting Irish came away with a deciding 98-50 victory after the RedHawks trailed by 25 points at halftime.
Finding Non-Conference Success at Home
Following the loss in the season opener at Notre Dame, Miami found its footing as it won seven of its next 10 games and six of the next seven home games in the thick of non-conference play. The RedHawks bounced back to earn wins in the Preseason WNIT against Radford, 74-67, and IUPUI, 73-59, as they hosted a four-team pool to conclude the tournament. Amanda Jackson went off for 29 points against Radford as Laura Markwood grabbed 16 rebounds in the win. Jackson recorded back-to-back 20-point games as she led all five starters in double figures with 21 points against IUPUI.
The Red and White earned a 63-54 win against Wright State before traveling to Purdue Fort Wayne and Murray State to wrap up November play. At IPFW, the RedHawks found themselves tied at halftime and at the end of regulation but ultimately fell in overtime as they managed just two points in the extra frame. Miami looked to get back on track inside Millett Hall after dropping the road contest at Murray State.
The RedHawks strung together three wins as they hosted Cleveland State (89-71) and Robert Morris (82-74) and traveled to Youngstown State (64-45). With the win against Robert Morris, Jackson had her seventh consecutive 20-point game as she led the Miami offense. Jenna Schone was averaging more than 15 points per game as she was proving to be a reliable three-point threat in addition to her shooting ability inside the arc.
Miami suffered its first home loss of the season at the hands of Illinois State, 69-82, on Dec. 16 before earning the RedHawks' second win of the season against IUPUI, 77-56, on Dec. 19. Jackson once again led the offense against IUPUI with a 20-point game as Stephanie Ford and Courtney Reed also scored in double figures.
Speed Bump in Texas
The RedHawks held a 7-4 record as they made the trip to San Antonio at the end of the calendar year for the Wells Fargo Classic. Miami suffered a heartbreaking 90-89 loss in double overtime against Texas-San Antonio to open the tournament as a whopping 43 points from Jackson was not enough to overcome a 50 percent shooting performance by UTSA. Chattanooga defeated Miami by an 88-63 margin the next day as the RedHawks went winless in Texas.
Breaking Even in January
Miami began conference play on Jan. 9 against Buffalo and finished the month with a 4-3 record in MAC games. Four of the seven games were decided by five points or fewer as the RedHawks split those games 2-2. Jackson continued her offensive dominance in January MAC games, averaging 22.9 points per game, while Markwood nearly averaged a double-double with 9.7 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game.
Mid-American Conference play started with a 62-57 loss for Miami at home but the RedHawks bounced back with a road win at Kent State, 64-59, three days later. Miami's defense buckled down to allow a season-low 49 points in the Jan. 16 win against Akron, forcing the Zips to shoot just 29.5 percent during the game and 19 percent from three-point range.
The RedHawks went back-and-forth for the last four games in January, losing to Ohio and Northern Illinois but beating Bowling Green and then Eastern Michigan to wrap up the month. Jackson became Miami's all-time leading scorer in the 81-70 win at EMU.
Second-Half MAC Schedule Strength
The win against EMU at the end of January sparked a six-game win streak for the RedHawks. Miami began February with a 76-74 road win as it held off a late push by Central Michigan. The RedHawks had a 12-point lead with less than five minutes to play but a 16-4 run by the Chippewas tied the game at 70 with 38 seconds to play. Jackson and Schone made free throws down the stretch as the RedHawk defense closed the game with a forced turnover from which CMU could not overcome.
Following the nail-biter in Mt. Pleasant, Miami won its next four games by at least 10 points. The RedHawks beat Western Michigan (73-61), Ball State (69-58), Toledo (76-60) and Buffalo (84-55) as the defense forced opponents to shoot an average of 36.9 percent from the field and 22.8 percent from three-point game, allowing just 58.5 points per game. Jackson and Schone combined for half of the team's points during these four games.
Miami suffered its final loss of the regular season against Bowling Green on Feb. 23 before winning the final three games on the schedule. The RedHawks wrapped up the regular season with an 82-72 win against Ohio in overtime on March 5. After being tied at both halftime and the end of regulation, Miami scored all 10 points in the overtime period as the Bobcats were 0-of-7 from the floor and 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Markwood led all players with 30 points, including 10-of-14 from the floor and 10-of-12 from the charity stripe.
The RedHawks ended with a 12-4 record in MAC games to earn the MAC East Title for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
MAC Tournament Magic
The RedHawks faced Western Michigan in the quarterfinal round, earning a 65-60 victory to move onto the semifinals. Miami held a five-point advantage with five minutes to play in the game before both teams entered a four-minute scoring drought. Five RedHawk free throws in the final minute preserved the win as Miami moved on to the semifinal round. Markwood recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, leading the team in both categories.
The Red and White played Toledo in the semifinals and came away with a 70-66 win. Miami held the lead for the majority of the game but the Rockets fought back to tie the score at 60 with 4:28 to play and again at 66 with 1:32 to play. A basket by Markwood and two free throws by Jackson in the final 32 seconds of the game wrapped up scoring. Schone and Jackson led the Miami offense with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Miami captured its second MAC Tournament Championship in program history and first since the 1981-82 season with a 67-56 win against Ohio in the championship game. The teams played a close first half but a three-pointer from Schone gave Miami the three-point edge at halftime. The RedHawks used an 11-0 second-half run to hold off the Bobcats and secure the tournament championship. Ford recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Markwood tied Ford for the team-high 11 rebounds while Jackson and Schone each totaled 19 points.
Jackson became the first in program history to be named MAC Tournament MVP. Joining Jackson on the MAC All-Tournament Team was Schone.
Miami's First NCAA Tournament Appearance
The RedHawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Miami traveled, as a 13 seed, to Louisville, Ky. to face the fourth-seeded Cardinals. The RedHawks' season came to an end as it could not overcome a 63.3-percent shooting performance by Louisville and fell by a 81-67 margin.
Key Players
Amanda Jackson – All-MAC First Team, MAC Tournament MVP, MAC All-Tournament Team, set single-season scoring record (712 points, still stands today), became Miami's all-time leading scorer, averaged 21.6 points per game
Jenna Schone – All-MAC Second Team, MAC All-Tournament Team, Academic All-MAC, led the team with 175 assists and 84 three-pointers made
Laura Markwood – All-MAC Third Team, Academic All-MAC, led the team in rebounds per game (10.6) and was third in scoring average (9.4 ppg)
Stephanie Ford – Tied the single-season block record (51) to lead the team and was second in rebounding average (7.2), also led the team in field-goal percentage (.503)
Courtney Reed – Averaged 7.6 points per game during the season, shooting 46.5 percent, started in 11 games
Ashley Hawkins – Was a playmaker as she totaled 81 assists, started in 22 games but played big minutes off the bench as well (averaged 27.1 minutes per game)
After claiming the MAC East Title in back-to-back seasons in 2002-03 and 2003-04, Miami finished in the middle of the pack the next three seasons. Coming into the 2007-08 season, the RedHawks looked to bring home another MAC East Title but ended up bringing home so much more.
Tough Opener
The RedHawks were selected to compete in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) to begin the season but drew a road game at No. 24 Notre Dame in the season opener. The Fighting Irish came away with a deciding 98-50 victory after the RedHawks trailed by 25 points at halftime.
Finding Non-Conference Success at Home
Following the loss in the season opener at Notre Dame, Miami found its footing as it won seven of its next 10 games and six of the next seven home games in the thick of non-conference play. The RedHawks bounced back to earn wins in the Preseason WNIT against Radford, 74-67, and IUPUI, 73-59, as they hosted a four-team pool to conclude the tournament. Amanda Jackson went off for 29 points against Radford as Laura Markwood grabbed 16 rebounds in the win. Jackson recorded back-to-back 20-point games as she led all five starters in double figures with 21 points against IUPUI.
The Red and White earned a 63-54 win against Wright State before traveling to Purdue Fort Wayne and Murray State to wrap up November play. At IPFW, the RedHawks found themselves tied at halftime and at the end of regulation but ultimately fell in overtime as they managed just two points in the extra frame. Miami looked to get back on track inside Millett Hall after dropping the road contest at Murray State.
The RedHawks strung together three wins as they hosted Cleveland State (89-71) and Robert Morris (82-74) and traveled to Youngstown State (64-45). With the win against Robert Morris, Jackson had her seventh consecutive 20-point game as she led the Miami offense. Jenna Schone was averaging more than 15 points per game as she was proving to be a reliable three-point threat in addition to her shooting ability inside the arc.
Miami suffered its first home loss of the season at the hands of Illinois State, 69-82, on Dec. 16 before earning the RedHawks' second win of the season against IUPUI, 77-56, on Dec. 19. Jackson once again led the offense against IUPUI with a 20-point game as Stephanie Ford and Courtney Reed also scored in double figures.
Speed Bump in Texas
The RedHawks held a 7-4 record as they made the trip to San Antonio at the end of the calendar year for the Wells Fargo Classic. Miami suffered a heartbreaking 90-89 loss in double overtime against Texas-San Antonio to open the tournament as a whopping 43 points from Jackson was not enough to overcome a 50 percent shooting performance by UTSA. Chattanooga defeated Miami by an 88-63 margin the next day as the RedHawks went winless in Texas.
Breaking Even in January
Miami began conference play on Jan. 9 against Buffalo and finished the month with a 4-3 record in MAC games. Four of the seven games were decided by five points or fewer as the RedHawks split those games 2-2. Jackson continued her offensive dominance in January MAC games, averaging 22.9 points per game, while Markwood nearly averaged a double-double with 9.7 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game.
Mid-American Conference play started with a 62-57 loss for Miami at home but the RedHawks bounced back with a road win at Kent State, 64-59, three days later. Miami's defense buckled down to allow a season-low 49 points in the Jan. 16 win against Akron, forcing the Zips to shoot just 29.5 percent during the game and 19 percent from three-point range.
The RedHawks went back-and-forth for the last four games in January, losing to Ohio and Northern Illinois but beating Bowling Green and then Eastern Michigan to wrap up the month. Jackson became Miami's all-time leading scorer in the 81-70 win at EMU.
Second-Half MAC Schedule Strength
The win against EMU at the end of January sparked a six-game win streak for the RedHawks. Miami began February with a 76-74 road win as it held off a late push by Central Michigan. The RedHawks had a 12-point lead with less than five minutes to play but a 16-4 run by the Chippewas tied the game at 70 with 38 seconds to play. Jackson and Schone made free throws down the stretch as the RedHawk defense closed the game with a forced turnover from which CMU could not overcome.
Following the nail-biter in Mt. Pleasant, Miami won its next four games by at least 10 points. The RedHawks beat Western Michigan (73-61), Ball State (69-58), Toledo (76-60) and Buffalo (84-55) as the defense forced opponents to shoot an average of 36.9 percent from the field and 22.8 percent from three-point game, allowing just 58.5 points per game. Jackson and Schone combined for half of the team's points during these four games.
Miami suffered its final loss of the regular season against Bowling Green on Feb. 23 before winning the final three games on the schedule. The RedHawks wrapped up the regular season with an 82-72 win against Ohio in overtime on March 5. After being tied at both halftime and the end of regulation, Miami scored all 10 points in the overtime period as the Bobcats were 0-of-7 from the floor and 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Markwood led all players with 30 points, including 10-of-14 from the floor and 10-of-12 from the charity stripe.
The RedHawks ended with a 12-4 record in MAC games to earn the MAC East Title for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
MAC Tournament Magic
The RedHawks faced Western Michigan in the quarterfinal round, earning a 65-60 victory to move onto the semifinals. Miami held a five-point advantage with five minutes to play in the game before both teams entered a four-minute scoring drought. Five RedHawk free throws in the final minute preserved the win as Miami moved on to the semifinal round. Markwood recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, leading the team in both categories.
The Red and White played Toledo in the semifinals and came away with a 70-66 win. Miami held the lead for the majority of the game but the Rockets fought back to tie the score at 60 with 4:28 to play and again at 66 with 1:32 to play. A basket by Markwood and two free throws by Jackson in the final 32 seconds of the game wrapped up scoring. Schone and Jackson led the Miami offense with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Miami captured its second MAC Tournament Championship in program history and first since the 1981-82 season with a 67-56 win against Ohio in the championship game. The teams played a close first half but a three-pointer from Schone gave Miami the three-point edge at halftime. The RedHawks used an 11-0 second-half run to hold off the Bobcats and secure the tournament championship. Ford recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Markwood tied Ford for the team-high 11 rebounds while Jackson and Schone each totaled 19 points.
Jackson became the first in program history to be named MAC Tournament MVP. Joining Jackson on the MAC All-Tournament Team was Schone.
Miami's First NCAA Tournament Appearance
The RedHawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Miami traveled, as a 13 seed, to Louisville, Ky. to face the fourth-seeded Cardinals. The RedHawks' season came to an end as it could not overcome a 63.3-percent shooting performance by Louisville and fell by a 81-67 margin.
Key Players
Amanda Jackson – All-MAC First Team, MAC Tournament MVP, MAC All-Tournament Team, set single-season scoring record (712 points, still stands today), became Miami's all-time leading scorer, averaged 21.6 points per game
Jenna Schone – All-MAC Second Team, MAC All-Tournament Team, Academic All-MAC, led the team with 175 assists and 84 three-pointers made
Laura Markwood – All-MAC Third Team, Academic All-MAC, led the team in rebounds per game (10.6) and was third in scoring average (9.4 ppg)
Stephanie Ford – Tied the single-season block record (51) to lead the team and was second in rebounding average (7.2), also led the team in field-goal percentage (.503)
Courtney Reed – Averaged 7.6 points per game during the season, shooting 46.5 percent, started in 11 games
Ashley Hawkins – Was a playmaker as she totaled 81 assists, started in 22 games but played big minutes off the bench as well (averaged 27.1 minutes per game)
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