Rutgers' Second-Half Run Sets Back Orangewomen, 75-55
1/11/2003 5:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Syracuse held an early nine-point lead, but a 23-9 second-half run by Rutgers propelled the Scarlet Knights to a 75-55 victory on Saturday afternoon at Louis Brown Athletic Center.
The Orangewomen lost their third straight BIG EAST game and now stand at 5-9 overall and 0-3 in the conference. The Scarlet Knights recorded their first BIG EAST win of the season and increased their record to 7-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Junior point guard Julie McBride and junior forward April Jean led the Orangewomen in double figures with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Jean also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
Syracuse jumped out to an early lead in the first half, taking a 16-7 advantage with 15:06 left in the first stanza. McBride scored eight-of-her-11 first half points in the run. The Scarlet Knights tied the game at 16 and then scored seven unanswered points to take their largest lead of the half, 23-16.
The Orangewomen took their final lead of the game, 24-23, after back-to-back three-pointers by Jean and McBride, followed by a Jean field goal. Junior Shannon Perry and freshman Tierra Jackson would tie the game for the Orange at 25 and 27 with three free throws but Rutgers refused to allow SU to go any further. Mauri Horton scored Rutgers' last seven points before halftime to secure the 34-30 advantage for the Scarlet Knights.
The Scarlet Knights scored the first six points of the second half to hold a 10-point lead, 40-30, with 16:44 left in the game. Syracuse would come within five, 42-37, after a basket by Jackson before Rutgers exploded with a 23-9 run to secure a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.
Rutgers shot 63 percent in the second half after going 11-of-29 from the field (37 percent) in the first half. Syracuse shot 53 percent in the first half but was only 7-of-24 (29 percent) in the second stanza.
Cappie Pondexter led four Scarlet Knights in double figures with 20 points. Chelsea Newton and Michelle Campbell recorded 14 and 13 points, while Mauri Horton chipped in 10.
