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THE MATCHUP: Presbyterian College will have homecourt advantage as the Blue Hose begin the Big South portion of their schedule on Saturday against Winthrop. PC has enjoyed a long break for the holidays, hitting the hardwood for the first time since losing to Army on Dec. 20. The Eagles will look to begin 2009 on the right foot after dropping a 54-43 decision to Campbell on Dec. 30.
FOLLOW THE BLUE HOSE: Fans who can't attend the doubleheader on Saturday can still keep up with all the Blue Hose action by listening to In the Zone for Sports host Jon Avery and Dr. Rhett Harris call the game on Real Radio WLBG 860-AM. You can also hear Avery and Harris on PC's radio station WPCX-FM 97.1. Live videostreaming of the game will also be available on the Big South Edge at www.bigsouthsports.com.
IN THE SERIES: The Eagles hold an 8-0 advantage in the series between the two teams. This will be the second time the teams have met since PC began its transition to Division I and the first time they will play at Templeton Center since then.
LAST TIME OUT: Freshman forward Brittany Brown was the high scorer with her second consecutive 11-point performance as PC fell 66-33 to Army at West Point, N.Y. on Dec. 20. She tied freshman Kristen Stevens for a team-high five rebounds and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the line.
NEXT UP: PC hits the road for a non-conference game against Virginia Tech on Jan. 5. The Hokies will be the third ACC opponent the Blue Hose face in the 2008-09 season.
PERIMETER POWER: Amanda Mills is ranked third in the Big South Conference with a 40.0 three-point percentage, averaging 2.22 treys per game. Kristen Stevens regained her shot in late December and is eighth in the conference (31.4 percent). PC shot a season-high 47.6 percent from beyond the arc, making a record 10 treys against Stetson.
SCOUTING WINTHROP:
FREE THROW FEUD: Both teams will try to avoid sending its opponent to the free throw line in Saturday's game. Winthrop is the only team in the Big South Conference with a better free throw percentage than the Blue Hose. The Eagles are shooting 69.8 percent from the charity stripe, while PC has made 68.4 percent of its free throw shots.
FROM DOWNTOWN: Senior guard Tiffany Rodd holds a slight edge over PC's Amanda Mills in baskets beyond the arc. Rodd ranks second in the Big South with 20 treys through nine games to average 2.22 shots per game. Mills trails Rodd by just .02 percent after making 22 shots through 10 games to rank third in the conference.
PERIMETER DEFENSE: The Eagles' perimeter defense tops the conference and ranks 24th in the nation. The team has held opponents to 26.3 percent from three-point range, allowing just 35 treys through nine games. Senior Ashley Fann is a big part of the Eagles' defense: her 8.1 rebounds per game are second in the Big South.
