Alumnae Spotlight: Thandeka Masimini

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University women's basketball program has achieved great success since its inception in 1971. Over the next two weeks, Cuse.com will spotlight a select alumna from the Syracuse women's basketball program daily.

In the third Cuse.com Alumnae Spotlight, we look at Thandeka Masimini.

Past spotlights:
Janice Long
Sue Ludwig

Masimini was a member of the Syracuse women's basketball program from 1992-96. In that time, Masimini played in 101 career games, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.

The Washington, D.C. native played in 24 games as a freshman, playing in an average of 6.6 minutes per game. Her best performance of her rookie campaign came against Manhattan in the Carrier Classic, when she scored eight points against the Jaspers.

Masimini played in 23 games in her second season on campus, starting one. She made a tremendous transition from her first to second year, earning the Syracuse Most Improved Player Award. Masimini scored in double-figure four times during the 1993-94 season.

In her junior season, Masimini showed even more improvement. She played in 27 games, starting 18, averaging 8.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest. The center pulled down a career-best 18 rebounds against Villanova, which ranks 11th in program history. Masimini led the team with four double-doubles on the year.

Masimini capped her career at Syracuse with a strong senior season. As co-captain, she led the squad in rebounding (7.9 rebounds per contest) and ranked second on the team in scoring (14.1 points per game). The Orange won a share of the BIG EAST 7 regular season title in her final season on campus. In addition, Syracuse shocked No. 2 Connecticut, 62-59, on Jan. 2, 1996. It still stands as the highest ranked opponent SU has defeated in program history.

For her career, Masimini still stands as one of most efficient shooters in program history. She made just shy of half of her attempts during her Syracuse career (298-597), which ranks sixth in school history. As a senior, she shot .555 (152-274) from the field, which ranks third in SU history.

Check back daily for more stories on the alumnae of the Syracuse women's basketball program.

The 2015-16 Syracuse University women's basketball team will embark on an international tour in early August. Syracuse will travel across the Atlantic Ocean to play teams from Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. If one would like to support the program on its international tour, please click here.

Syracuse University Athletics

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