MONTICELLO  – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team opens its 2008-09 season with an exhibition contest in Jonesboro, Ark. against the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday, November 1.
 
UAM finished the 2007-08 season with an overall record of 16-14 and a 7-7 mark in the Gulf South Conference West Division, clinching the fourth seed in the GSC Championship Tournament.
 
Third-year head coach Chris Ratcliff might argue the conference tournament is when the team showed its true colors.
 
UAM opened the tournament with a 71-66 win over Alabama-Huntsville, but the team’s play in the quarterfinals grabbed the attention of the league.
 
UAM used seven second-half three-pointers, aiding to a 79-54 rout of then ranked No. 7 West Georgia. It was the upset of the season not only for UAM, but for the entire conference as well.
 
In the semi-finals, UAM could not overcome a 12-point deficit at halftime against Arkansas Tech, falling 63-72. The Blossoms outscored the Golden Suns 41-38 in the second half.
 
Aiding to a fourth place GSC pre-season prediction for UAM are three returning starters, featuring leading scorer and second-team All-GSC selection Andrea Dubose (5-8, Sr., Hickory, Miss.). Dubose averaged 13.3 points per game and led the team in three-pointers with 75 made throughout the season. She was named to the GSC All-Tournament Team as well as named to this year’s pre-season All-GSC team.
 
Also returning is second leading scorer and leading rebounder Erika Brown (5-10, So., Shreveport, La.). Although Brown was not given the award, she was arguably the GSC West’s best freshman during the 2007-08 season. She averaged 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and finished the season with a team-best 47 percent field goal percentage and 26 blocked shots.
 
Arkansas State is coming off a 20-12 season and a second place finish in the Sun Belt Conference West Division.
 
In the pre-season Sun Belt release, the Red Wolves were picked to win the West Division in a tie with Arkansas-Little Rock.
 
The Red Wolves are led by junior Veronica Scott, who led ASU in scoring with an average of 9.6 points per game, 12.1 in conference games, good enough for a post-season All-Sun Belt third team selection.
 
The two teams have met 22 times in a series dating to 1973, UAM’s inaugural season. UAM won the first three contests and has won the last five. The Blossoms hold a 14-8 all-time series record. The last edition of the series was in the 1982-83 season – a 78-61 UAM win in Jonesboro.
 
The game will be aired on radio station KCJF-FM 103.9 in Jonesboro. That broadcast can be heard on Arkansas State’s athletic website at www.astateredwolves.com. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the ASU Convocation Center.