AU Women's Basketball Heads to Minnesota for Subway Classic

Nov. 21, 2008

WASHINGTON - The American University women's basketball team heads to the University of Minnesota this weekend for a pair of games in the Subway Classic. The Eagles will play the host Gophers on Saturday at 1 p.m. before playing either Yale or N.C. State on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Eagles are off to their best start since the 2001-02 season, winning their opening three games against NJIT, Drexel and Howard.

The Eagles have been led offensively by Michelle Kirk, Talicia Jackson and Nicole Ryan, who all average double-digits in points after three contests. Kirk leads the trio with 13.7 points per game. Jackson and Ryan are both scoring 10.3 points per contest and Ryan is the lone Eagle to score in double-digits in all three games. Jackson has led the way on the on the boards, grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game, followed closely by Sahar Nusseibeh's 4.0 caroms per game.

Minnesota (2-1) has gotten the majority of its offensive production from Katie Ohm and Emily Fox, who are averaging 16.3 and 12.7 points per game, respectively. The Gophers have defeated Santa Clara and North Dakota State. Their lone loss of the season came to No. 2 Stanford in the season opener, 68-55.

Yale started a season at 1-0 after defeating Holy Cross on Saturday, Nov. 15 by a score of 65-63. Junior forward Melissa Colborne netted 14 points to lead the Bulldogs, while sophomore forward Mady Gobrecht added seven points and a game- and career-high 11 rebounds.

N.C. State has gotten off to a 2-0 start, after winning their own Wolfpack Invitational, defeating Milwaukee and Charlotte. State's Shayla Fields was named MVP after averaging 25.0 points per game, including a career-best 33 in the championship victory over Charlotte on Sunday. Nikitta Gartrell was also selected to the All-Tournament team by averaging 17.5 ppg.

Following this weekend, the Eagles will wrap up their three-game road stand at Morgan St. on Friday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.