Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Tues., Feb. 28, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's Basketball

Devils have similarities with ECAC Upstate foe

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Two teams with similar kinds of seasons will square off tonight when Fredonia State travels to face Utica College in the first round of the ECAC Upstate Tournament.

The Blue Devils (16-9) are the No. 5 seed in the eight-team bracket, and it would seem that there wasn't much separating them from the No. 4 seed Pioneers (18-8) when the tournament committee came to ranking the teams.

What small difference they committee found could turn out to be a key factor.

The Pioneers are 10-2 this season at home, including a 5-0 mark vs. teams outside their Empire 8 conference. Had the Blue Devils earned the higher seed, they would have been able to take strength from a 10-1 home record (3-0 in non-conference games). Instead, they will try to improve on a 5-8 road record this season.

The Blue Devils and Pioneers have played six common opponents (Oneonta, SUNYIT, St. John Fisher, Nazareth, Oswego, and RIT). The Blue Devils were 5-3 against those teams, the Pioneers 4-5.

Another similarity is roster depth.

Blue Devil head coach Donna Wise has relied heavily on her starting five. Juniors Karolyn Baker (Olean/Olean) and Lisa Gentile (Utica/Whitesboro); and sophomores Cheryl Kindzia (Williamsville/Williamsville North), Danielle Bleecker (Pittsford/Pittsford-Mendon), and Maria Scaffidi (Buffalo/Holy Angels) have all averaged over 31 minutes per game.

Utica head coach Michele Davis can use no more than eight players per game -- because that's all there is on the current roster. Junior forward Ava Thomas (Bronx) was selected First Team Empire 8 for the second straight season, while senior forward Corrina Rustmann (Storrs, Conn.) and freshman guard Whitney Frament (Waterford) were honorable mention selections.

This is the first meeting ever in women's basketball between the two schools. It's also the second-ever ECAC Upstate appearance by the Fredonia State women. In 1992, the Blue Devils defeated Ithaca before losing to Geneseo.

The 1992 season was significant for another reason. That Blue Devil team, coached by Cathy Flanders, posted a 16-13 record, with the 16 wins representing the school record for most wins in a season -- tied by the current team. This year's team has already set a school record for most regular-season wins (15) and most SUNYAC wins (11) in a season.

The Fredonia State at Utica winner will return to action Friday night to face the winner of the Keuka at Oneonta quarterfinal game. The home game will go to the team with the higher seed (Oneonta is No. 1, Keuka No. 8).

(Link HERE to hear a webcast via www.Utica.edu and The SportsStars radio network)

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