Nov. 2, 2014
2014-15 Horizon League Preseason Prospectus CHICAGO - The UIC women's basketball team kicks off the 2014-15 season with an exhibition game against St. Xavier (2-0) on Tuesday (Nov. 4). The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT inside the UIC Pavilion.
St. Xavier received a No. 6 ranking when the NAIA released the Women's Division II Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll last week. UIC's regular season opener is set for Friday, Nov. 14, when Bradley visits the UIC Pavilion.
A LOOK AT ST. XAVIER (2-0) Nickname: Cougars
Conference: Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (NAIA)
Head Coach: Bob Hallberg (15th season)
2013-14 Record: 27-6, 16-2 in the CCAC (lost in first round of NAIA National Tournament)
Series History: SXU leads 1-0
Last Meeting: SXU won 80-79 (Nov. 8, 2013 at UIC) 2014-15 Leader in:
Points - Morgan Stuut (18.5 ppg)
Rebounds - Morgan Stuut (12.5 rpg)
Assists - Morgan Stuut (5.5 apg)
Steals - Maloree Johnson (2.0 spg)
Blocked Shots - Brittany Collins (2.0 bpg)
UIC GAME NOTES
WBI CHAMPIONS BACK IN ACTION
UIC is coming off the best season in school history, with a program-record 26 wins and the nation's largest turnaround (17 more wins than 2012-13). The Flames were crowned champions of the 2014 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) following their victory over Stephen F. Austin on March 29.
UIC won 11 straight games from Nov. 15, 2013 - Jan. 3, 2014, which tied the longest win streak in program history. The 2013-14 squad broke program records for points scored (2,598), scoring average (74.2 ppg), field goals made (940), rebounds (1,503), free throws made (557) and assists (526).
MORE ON WBI CHAMPIONSHIP
The best season in program history ended with a postseason title as UIC (26-9) defeated Stephen F. Austin (23-13), 73-64, in the Championship Game of the 2014 Women's Basketball Invitational on March 29. The Horizon League has captured two straight WBI championships as Detroit took home the title in 2013.
Ruvanna Campbell was named MVP of the WBI after collecting 18 points, 12 rebounds and a WBI-record eight blocks in the title game. She also set the WBI rebound record (23) in the quarterfinal at Eastern Michigan. Campbell averaged 23.3 points, 17.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and shot 63.1 percent from the floor over the four-game tournament.
The contest was UIC head coach Regina Miller's second postseason championship game appearance as she also led UNLV to the 2004 WNIT title game. Miller owns 288 career victories and 53 in her three-year stint at UIC. Last season was Miller's third 20-win season and eighth postseason appearance.
Run by Sport Tours International, the Women's Basketball Invitational capped its fifth season. The tournament provides a choice for postseason worthy Division I teams who wish to continue their season, but who do not qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Past winners have been Appalachian State in 2010, UAB in 2011, Minnesota in 2012 and Detroit in 2013.
CAMPBELL AN ALL-AMERICAN CANDIDATE
Redshirt junior Ruvanna Campbell is back after a stellar sophomore campaign in which she was named the 2013-14 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year. She was also selected to the All-League First Team and was named the WBI MVP.
Campbell ranked fifth in the nation in double-doubles (26) and seventh in rebounding (12.8 rpg) while setting the Horizon League record for single-season rebounds (449). She was one of only four players nationally who averaged at least 17 points, 12 rebounds and shot over 50 percent from the field.
Campbell also ranked second in the Horizon League in blocks (1.6 bpg), second in field-goal percentage (.529), seventh in scoring (17.1 ppg) and ninth in steals (1.7 spg). Campbell's 13.1 rebounds per game in Horizon League play are the highest in the history of the conference.
BENDER ONE OF THE LEAGUE'S BEST DEFENDERS
Junior Terri Bender was the Flames' best perimeter defender in 2013-14 as she tied UIC's single-season steals record of 93. She led the Horizon League and ranked 22nd nationally with 2.7 steals per game. Bender was honored with an All-Defensive Team selection for her outstanding season.
Bender dished out 148 assists on offense, which broke Betty Kollar's program record of 145 set in 1980-81. She ranked third in the conference with 4.2 assists per game. Bender also averaged 9.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a contest on 17 double-digit scoring performances.
MILLER ADDS THREE NEWCOMERS
Fourth-year UIC head coach Regina Miller added three players to the program over the offseason. Kendyl Nunn (Casper College), Manuella Kanmegni (Kankakee Community College) and Cate Soane (Loyola Chicago) have joined the Flames' roster. Nunn and Kanmengni are eligible to play this season, while Soane must sit out due to NCAA transfer rules.
Nunn, a 5-foot-10 guard, was one of the highest rated recruits in Mid-American Conference history when she enrolled at Toledo but transferred to Casper College in Wyoming after an injury her freshman year. She earned third-team NJCAA All-American honors in 2013-14 after averaging 16.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals over 26 games.
Kanmegni, a 6-foot-4 center, scored in double-digits on 17 occasions and picked up five double-doubles over two years at Kankakee. The Cavaliers went 28-8 with Kanmegni in the lineup during the 2013-14 season and finished the season ranked No. 10 in the NJCAA.
Soane, a 6-foot-3 center, averaged 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds at Loyola Chicago in 2013-14 and led the squad in field-goal percentage (.547). Defensively, Soane ranked ninth in the Missouri Valley with 24 blocked shots.
2014-15 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
UIC will play a total of 17 home games which includes nine Horizon League contests. The Flames will be challenged with road contests at Northwestern, Miami (Ohio) and Eastern Illinois along with eight home games against in-state opponents.
UIC's Winter Break will be highlighted by the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic (Dec. 20-21), where Regina Miller coached at UNLV from 1998-2008. The event, hosted by Sport Tours International, will be played at the South Point Hotel Arena located just a few miles from the famous Las Vegas Strip.
UIC opens play in Las Vegas against Mississippi State on Dec. 20 and takes on Old Dominion the next day. Miller graduated from ODU in 1984 and served as an assistant coach for the Monarchs from 1987-92.
