March 3, 2005

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WASHINGTON. DC - The University of Dayton women's basketball team opens the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship with Fordham on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center in Washington, DC. UD is led by junior Cara Wright, with double-doubles in seven of 10 games, and senior Emily Williams, coming off a career-high 29 points on Senior Day last Sunday.

Dayton (12-15; 6-10 A-10) is the fifth seed in the West, while Fordham (9-20; 5-11 A-10) grabbed the fourth seed in the East. Dayton won the previous match-up, 63-50, in the Bronx on January 23. The game is the third of the day, with the 4:00 p.m. tip-off approximate.

On Sunday, Williams started 9-for-11from the floor and finished with a new personal best 29 points on her senior day. The Flyers fell to Richmond 78-77 in overtime despite Williams' performance and 22 points from Wright. Jennifer Strong added 12 points.

Dayton has never won at the Smith Center, home of the George Washington Colonials, in seven attempts. The winner of the Fordham-Dayton game draws the host Colonials in the Quarterfinals.

Head Coach Jim Jabir's team currently owns the third-largest turnaround in women's basketball, with a nine-game improvement over last year's record. The Flyers won six games on the road this season, and are 1-0 on a neutral court.

MORE DAYTON NOTES Junior forward Cara Wright recorded her fourth-straight double-double and 12th of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds against St. Bonaventure. She went for 20 points and 14 rebounds against No. 17 Temple. She scored 22 with eight rebounds against Richmond.

Wright is averaging 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds in her last 10 games with seven double-doubles.

Freshman center, Nikki Oakland scored eight points in UD's win at St. Bonaventure, one off her career-high.

The Flyers held St. Bonaventure to just three points and one field goal in the first 15:53 of the game last Friday. The Flyers' 13 points allowed in the half was UD's best defensive effort in a half this season. Dayton held St. Bonaventure to a season-low 41 points.

Wright was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week after she recorded her 10th double-double of the season at Duquesne and was two-points off her career high with a 27-point, 13-rebound performance against La Salle. She was 12-of-17 shooting from the field. For the week, she averaged 24.5 PPG and 12 RPG with a .622 field goal percentage.

Jennifer Strong was 7-of-9 shooting against No. 17 Temple for 18 points. She was four-of-five from three-point range.

The Flyers 27-26 halftime lead over Temple was the first time in 2005 that Temple had trailed at the half. Dayton led with 14:26 to go before a 12-2 Temple run sparked the Owls to the win.

Freshman guard Karah Cloxton played a career-high 22 minutes versus No. 17 Temple and set a career-best with eight points while tying her high in assists with four (for the third time).

Nikki Oakland grabbed six rebounds, scored six points and had a career-high four assists in 19 minutes versus La Salle.

Junior center Angela Cape was one rebound away from a double-double against La Salle, finishing with a career-high 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal while committing zero turnovers. Seven of her rebounds came on the offensive end.

The Flyers out-scored La Salle 38-14 in the paint for a 75-65 win on February 13. Dayton's three inside players -- Wright, Cape and Oakland, combined for 49 points on 22 of 36 shooting.

The Flyers came back from down 23 points at the half at home against Duquesne, out-scoring the Dukes 42-18 in the second half for a 55-54 win. Dayton forced 16 second-half turnovers, while committing just four themselves.

The Flyers are 11-2 when scoring 60 or more points, and have held 22 of 26 opponents to 69 points or less in regulation.

On December 18, the Flyers set an Atlantic 10 record with 79 rebounds vs Detroit, which ranks 10th all time in NCAA history. All 14 Flyers who dressed had at least one rebound, led by Cara Wright's 20. Dayton had more offensive boards (27) than Detroit had total (25).