Orangewomen Take on Rutgers Saturday Afternoon
1/10/2003 12:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Syracuse women's basketball team returns to action Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Rutgers. The Orangewomen are 5-8 overall and 0-2 in the BIG EAST following Wednesday night’s 85-68 loss to Miami at Manley Field House. Rutgers is 6-4 overall and 0-1 in the league.
Turnovers cost the Orangewomen against the Hurricanes. Miami scored 43 points off 30 SU miscues. Miami also outrebounded Syracuse, 43-29, including an 18-5 edge on the offensive end. Junior April Jean recorded her second double-double of the season with career highs in points (23), rebounds (15) and assists (6). She also had two steals, two blocked shots and was 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Junior Julie McBride scored 16 points and handed out eight assists. Sophomore Rochelle Coleman scored all 12 of her points from behind the three-point line. Freshman Tierra Jackson had 11 points off the bench. Jackson is the first SU freshman to score in double figures in her first two BIG EAST games since Danene Hopson in 1986-87.
The Orangewomen welcome back junior Shannon Perry to the lineup. She is SU’s leading scorer (17.5 ppg) and rebounder (11.6). McBride is second on the team in scoring at 16.9 points per contest and leads the team with 6.8 assists per game. Coleman has reached double figures in seven straight and is averaging 13.5 points per contest. In two BIG EAST games, Jackson is averaging 12.0 points and shooting 66.7 percent (10-of-15).
The Scarlet Knights suffered a 67-62 loss at Connecticut on Wednesday. Rutgers has lost two straight road contests, but is a perfect 4-0 at home this season. Two of those wins have come versus common opponents with SU. Rutgers defeated Harvard, 79-40, on December 21 and George Washington, 87-72, on December 29.
Cappie Pondexter led the Scarlet Knights at Connecticut with 23 points. She shot 9-of-26 from the floor, including 2-for-5 from deep. She was one of four players in double figures. Dawn McCullouch added 14 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Mauri Horton had 11 points, while Chelsea Newton scored 10 points and had seven boards.
Pondexter is Rutgers’ leading scorer, averaging 16.0 points per game. She has led the team in six of their 10 games, including back-to-back 20-plus point efforts. she also leads the team with 5.4 assists per game. Horton is averaging 12.2 points and leads the team with 18 three-pointers. McCullouch and Newton are averaging 11.8 and 11.1 points, respectively. Newton is also pulling down 6.0 rebounds per game. Shalicia Hurns, a transfer from Purdue, became eligible for the game at Texas Tech. She is averaging 6.0 points and 7.0 rebounds, including a 10-point, 11-rebound effort versus the Red Raiders.
Rutgers leads the all-time series with Syracuse, 22-2. The Orangewomen snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Scarlet Knights with a 68-51 win at Manley Field House last season. The Orangewomen are 0-11 all-time versus Rutgers at the RAC.
