Minutewomen To Participate In The Best Western Roundball Classic

• UMass (4-0) heads south on Thanksgiving to participate in their second straight tournament. This time, the Minutewomen are in Tampa, Fla., for the Best Western Roundball Classic.

• UMass will play Stephen F. Austin (2-2) in the first round Saturday at 12:00 PM while South Florida (4-0) and St. Francis (1-1) meet in the second game of the day. The championship game is set for 2:00 PM Sunday preceded by the consolation game at 12:00 PM.

• Both games will be broadcast on WMUA, 91.1 FM in Amherst, and online at www.umassathletics.com. Marc Bertrand has play-by-play duties while Zach Claudio provides color analysis beginning a half-hour before scheduled tip-off.

• Live video will also be provided via South Florida's web site at: www.gousfbulls.com.

• Users will need to register for the USF Press Pass to watch the feed. Note: There is a fee for this service.

• Live stats will be available via the Gametracker link at www.umassathletics.com.

Scouting The Field

• UMass' first opponent, Stephen F. Austin, is 2-2 on the young season. The LadyJacks own wins over Southern Mississippi (69-62) and Louisiana Tech (65-55), while their losses have come against Tulane (75-52) and SMU (84-75).

• Stephen F. Austin was 25-7 last year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

• The LadyJacks are scoring 65.2 points per game while allowing 69.0 ppg. They are shooting 37 percent from the field, 35 percent from behind the arc and 79 percent at the free throw line. Stephen F. Austin has a slight edge on the boards, 40.8-40.0, and is committing 24.3 turnovers a game.

• Charity Egenti leads the team in scoring at 12.0 ppg and rebounding with 8.3 rpg. Nikki Carr is also in double-figures at 11.8 ppg while hauling in 6.5 rpg.

• Tournament host South Florida is 4-0 thus far after defeating Wisconsin-Milwaukee (85-59), Texas Southern (89-37), Georgia Southern (94-65) and Stetson (95-52). The Bulls are averaging 90.8 ppg and allowing just 53.2 ppg. They are shooting 44 percent from the field, 27 percent from three-point range and 78 percent at the free throw line. South Florida has a +8.7 edge on the boards, 45.2-36.5, and is committing just 12.0 turnovers a game while its opponents are averaging 28.5.

• Shantia Grace leads the team in scoring with 19.8 ppg and has dished out 5.8 assists a game. Preseason Big East Player of the Year Jessica Dickson is averaging 18.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg and just became South Florida's all-time scorer.

• St. Francis (N.Y.) is 1-1 with a win over Lafayette (61-48) in the season-opener and most recently a 72-46 loss at Providence.

• Tiffany Hill leads the team in scoring with 18.5 ppg while Linda Warrington (12.0 ppg) and Kara Ayers (11.5ppg) are also in double-figures.

UMass vs. Stephen F. Austin

• This will be the first women's basketball game between UMass and Stephen F. Austin. In fact, this is the first meeting between these two schools in anything.

UMass vs. South Florida

• This weekend would potentially be the first women's basketball game between UMass and South Florida.

UMass vs. St. Francis (N.Y.)

• This weekend would potentially be the first women's basketball game between UMass and St. Francis (N.Y.).

Hot Start

• After winning the Aeropostale Seton Hall Basketball Classic Nov. 17-18 in South Orange, N.J., UMass has begun the season 4-0 for the first time since the 1988-89 season. That team began the year 5-0.

• The best start to a season in school history was 9-0 by the 1968-69 team, the first women's basketball squad in school history.

• Dating back to last year, UMass has won 12 of its last 15 regular season games.

A Tourney Win

• UMass' win in the Aeropostale Seton Hall Basketball Classic was its third in-season tournament win all-time and first since taking the Blue Sky Dartmouth Classic, Dec. 28-29, 1999, in Hanover, N.H. The Minutewomen beat Furman and William & Mary en route to the title.

• The only other in-season tournament UMass has won was the Wagner Christmas Tournament, Dec. 28-29, 1996, in Staten Island, N.Y. That year, the Minutewomen knocked off Wagner and New Hampshire en route to the title.

• Overall, UMass is 36-57 (.387) in regular season tournament play.

Tough Defense

• UMass is off to its best defensive start since the 1973-74 season season after allowing just 47.0 ppg in its first four games.

• In 1973-74, the Minutewomen allowed just 141 points (35.3 ppg) in their first four games against Connecticut (68-27), Northeastern (45-37), Keene State (33-36) and Central Connecticut (51-41).

• It is also the best four-game defensive effort since the 1995-96 team allowed just 182 points (45.5 ppg) in consecutive games against Temple, Xavier, Duquesne and Fordham (Feb. 8-18).

• So far this year, UMass has held opponents to just 30 percent (73-242) from the floor and 15 percent (13-85) from three-point range.

Benton Finds The Range

• Freshman Kim Benton scored a career-high 11 points off the bench, all in the first half, while dishing out four assists in UMass' home opener against New Hampshire Nov. 14.

• Benton was 3-for-5 from three-point range and drained three consecutive trifectas during a 21-3 UMass first-half run.

• For the season, the Springfield, Pa., native is fourth on the team averaging 6.3 ppg and has a 2.20 assist to turnover ratio. She is shooting 35 percent (7-20) from the field, 38 percent (6-16) from three-point range and 83 percent (5-6) at the free throw line.

• Point guard was a questions at the start of the season with the graduation of four-year starter Katie Nelson.

Dacko In Non-Conference Play

• In four-plus years under Dacko, UMass has fared quite well in its non-conference schedule. The Minutewomen are 26-22 (.542) in 48 games.

• UMass has won 12 of its last 16 non-conference home games.

Mullins Magic

• After the Nov. 14 win against New Hampshire, UMass has now won seven straight games at the Mullins Center.

• In addition, the Minutewomen have won 31 of its last 49 games at home which is a .633 winning percentage.

• During this seven-game homecourt winning streak, UMass is averaging 65.1 ppg while allowing just 54.9 ppg.

• The Minutewomen are shooting 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and an amazing 81 percent at the free throw line.

• UMass has averaged 17.3 assists and 6.6 steals as well in this span.

• From the line, UMass has made nearly twice as many free throws (129) as its opponents have taken (72).

• Three current UMass players are averaging double-figures during this run led by Kate Mills' 14.3 ppg. Pam Rosanio (13.5 ppg) and Tamara Tatham (11.8 ppg).

• This ties UMass' longest winning streak at home since Feb. 10, 2002 against St. Bonaventure to Jan. 18, 2003, vs. the Bonnies.

• UMass' longest home winning streak prior to this was 14 from Feb. 18, 1995 against Temple to Feb. 27, 1996 vs. Rhode Island. That is also the school record.

Mills And Rosanio Pick Right Up Where They Left Off

• Juniors Kate Mills and Pam Rosanio have picked right up where they left off after All-Conference seasons in 2005-06.

• Mills began the season with consecutive double-doubles and is now averaging team-highs of 18.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 2.0 bpg. She tallied 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in UMass' season-opening win at Vermont en route to A-10 Co-Player of the Week honors.

• Mills was named MVP of the Aeropostale Seton Hall Basketball Classic Nov. 17-18 after averaging 19.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg as the Minutewomen captured the championship. She scored a season-high 22 points, her fifth career 20-point game, in the championship against Seton Hall despite playing the final 8:03 in foul trouble.

• Rosanio just missed her first career double-double as she added 19 points and nine rebounds against the Catamounts and is averaging 12.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 2.3 apg this season.

• She was selected to the Aeropostale Seton Hall Basketball Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 11.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg.

• Mills is shooting team-highs of 62 percent from the field and a 81 percent at the free throw line.

• The duo were each A-10 Preseason Third-Team All-Conference selections.

Closing In On 1,000

• Senior Tamara Tatham needs just 176 more points to become the 15th player in UMass history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau.

• Tatham currently ranks 23rd in UMass history with her 824 points.

• Junior Pam Rosanio is also quickly moving up the career ranks. She needs 285 more points to break 1,000 for her career. Rosanio has averaged 11.7 points per game in her career and tallied 315 and 350 points in her first two years, respectively.

• Rosanio ranks 28th in UMass history with her 715 career points.

Block Party

• Both Tatham and Mills are quickly moving up the career blocks chart.

• Mills is currently seventh all-time at UMass with 70 blocked shots (1.09/game) while Tatham ranks 10th with 54.

Snapping The Road Streak

• UMass' 60-48 win at Vermont Nov. 10 was the first season-opening road win in its last 10 games.

• The last UMass win on the road to begin a season was also against Vermont, a 60-52 victory on Nov. 26, 1988.