The Cincinnati (21-8) and Xavier (17-11) women's basketball teams begin play in the NIT Friday night. Both teams must play on the road.
The NIT is under a new format this year. In past years, the NIT had an eight-team field with games played on neutral sites. The 1998 NIT features 16 teams with all games played on home sites, based on attendance during the regular season.
Cincinnati travels to Toledo to take on the 23-6 Rockets, with the winner advancing to play the winner of the Xavier/Indiana game Sunday.
Toledo, who made the NCAA tournament the previous three years, relies on the play of the Mid-America Conference Player of the Year, Kim Knuth. Knuth, a 5-foot-11 junior guard - forward, averages 21.7 points per game and led the Rockets in scoring in all but five of the team's games.
''She's a great player who can really score,'' UC coach Laurie Pirtle said. ''She understands the game very well.''
Pirtle said freshman Jewell Snowden and sophomore Madinah Slaise will share the responsiblity of guarding Knuth. Slaise leads the Bearcats in steals with 45.
UC's NIT bid came after the team narrowly missed the NCAA tournament. The NIT is the first postseason tournament for the Bearcats since 1989 when the team made the NCAA Tournament.
Jolinda Lewis, Bearcat point guard and co-captain, is ready to make the most of the NIT bid.
''We'll take advantage of this NIT opportunity and see if we can leave our mark,'' Lewis said. ''It's an honor to be considered one of the top 80 teams in the nation.''
Senior co-captain Stephanie Geter is also ready to take on the Rockets.
''They're going to have the fire to defend themselves at home, but we're an outstanding club,'' Geter said.
While Pirtle has only seen Toledo play on tapes from early in the season, she will recognize a familiar face on the Rockets' bench. Toledo coach Mark Ehlen coached at Xavier from 1986-95.
''He's changed a little in his coaching style,'' Pirtle said. ''Your personnel always changes your style.''
UC and Toledo had no common opponents.
Melanie Balcomb's XU team will travel to Bloomington, Ind. to face the Lady Hoosiers (17-11), who have lost only twice at home. Indiana was expected to make the NCAA and Balcomb expects the disappointment of being left out of the NCAA tournament to hurt attendance.
''I heard they're not drawing much of a crowd,'' Balcomb said. ''We've also been a very good road team all year.''
Indiana is led by 6-foot-5 senior center Quacy Barnes who is averaging team-high 18.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg.
''She's definately the key to them,'' Balcomb said. ''She's a great player, but she's really thin. We're going to keep a fresh body on her at all times.''
Freshmen Jennifer Phillips and Taru Tuukkanen and junior Susanna Stromberg are expected to challenge Barnes in the paint for XU.
Xavier and Indiana faced two common opponents this season in Ohio State and La Salle. The Musketeers beat La Salle, an Atlantic 10 opponent, twice and Indiana prevailed in its only meeting with the Explorers. Both teams lost to Ohio State, Xavier 77-63 on Nov. 28 and Indiana 79-73 on Feb. 1. The Musketeers' loss came without Phillips who was recovering from heart surgery.
Balcomb feels her team is finally healthy and continuing to improve.
''I don't think we've peaked yet,'' Balcomb said. ''Hopefully, our best is yet to happen.''
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