Miami vs. Xavier
Miami RedHawks football
Black Friday
NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT
Big Dance is a dream come true for South grad Jackson
Senior says her Miami RedHawks will be prepared for No. 4 seed Louisville in the first round Sunday.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
OXFORD — Moments after earning the program's first-ever bid to the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, Miami University senior Amanda Jackson ran to embrace RedHawks coach Maria Fantanarosa.
The hug symbolized five years of hard work that finally paid off in the form of a ticket to "The Big Dance."
Miami's Amanda Jackson (1) drives around Ohio's Lauren Kohn in the second half of the women's Mid-American Conference championship basketball game Saturday, March 15, in Cleveland. Miami won 67-56 to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Jackson is a South graduate. Associated Press photo by Ron Schwane"We pulled it off," Jackson said. "We stuck together and made it happen. You really can't put it into words."
Jackson, a 2003 South grad, had 19 points as the RedHawks beat Ohio 67-56 in the Mid-American Conference championship at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland last weekend. She was named the MAC tournament's most valuable player, the first player in Miami history to earn the award.
"It's just an overwhelming feeling," Jackson said. "You dream about it. (Going to the NCAA tournament) is what you play for."
The RedHawks (23-10) earned a No. 13 seed and will face fourth-seeded Louisville in the opening round of the New Orleans region in Bridgeport, Conn., on Sunday, March 23. Miami has won six straight games and 12 of its last 13.
Louisville (24-9), ranked 21st nationally, finished fifth in the Big East conference regular-season standings. Jackson knows the RedHawks will have to be on top of their game to advance.
"We're going to have to do all the little things," Jackson said. "We have to be sharper than we were in previous games. We'll definitely be prepared."
Jackson admitted to being at a loss for words about the team's ascent to the NCAA tournament after a 12-18 record last season.
The fifth-year senior guard — an All-MAC first-team selection this season after averaging 21.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 steals — is the RedHawks' all-time leading scorer with 1,957 points.
She broke 12 Miami records this year and is the second player in MAC history to eclipse 1,800 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists and 300 steals. Jackson joins Toledo's Kim Knuth, and has 514 rebounds, 326 assists and 312 steals to go with her scoring total.
From this point forward, every game could be Jackson's last in a RedHawk uniform.
"This is how I wanted it to end," Jackson said. "It's a great feeling. I'm so excited to be a part of this team."
She said playing in the NCAA tournament is "the icing on the cake."
"You couldn't ask for much more," Jackson said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0365 or mcooper@coxohio.com.
