Orangewomen Defeat #24/22 Boston College
1/18/2003 5:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - The Syracuse women's basketball team won its first BIG EAST game of the season and snapped a four-game losing streak with a 76-71 victory against #24/22 Boston College on Saturday afternoon at Conte Forum.
The Orangewomen are now 6-10 overall and 1-4 in the BIG EAST Conference, while the Eagles stand at 11-4 and 3-1 in the conference. Head coach Marianna Freeman earned her 100th victory at Syracuse with the win. She is now 100-165 at Syracuse and 121-192 overall.
The win was SU's first against a ranked team this season. The Orangewomen have now beaten at least one ranked team in each of the last three seasons. The victory also gave the Orangewomen a 20-19 advantage in the all-time series versus BC and broke a five-game losing streak at Conte Forum.
Junior point guard Julie McBride led all scorers with 23 points, including 9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line. Senior guard Shannon Perry followed with 19 points and eight rebounds, and Rochelle Coleman chipped in 15.
The Orangewomen connected on 65.4 percent (17-of-26) of its shots in the first half, while holding the Eagles to only 11 field goals (11-of-34, 32.4 percent). After Boston College tied the game for the fifth time in the first half at 31-31, Syracuse scored the next six points, including four by sophomore Krystalyn Ellerbe to enter intermission ahead, 37-31.
Boston College came out on fire in the second half, scoring seven unanswered points to take its last lead of the game, 38-37, with 17:38 left to play. SU responded with a 17-7 run to regain the lead, 45-54, and then took its largest advantage of the game, 61-51, after a three-pointer by McBride. McBride's two three-pointers in the game moved her into sole possession of second place for three-pointers made in a career at Syracuse with 150.
BC came within three, 74-71, with five seconds remaining in the game but McBride made two free throws to hold off the Eagles. The Orangewomen made 11-of-12 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Amber Jacobs led the Eagles with 20 points. Becky Gottstein recorded a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Syracuse returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 21 when it faces Seton Hall at 7 p.m. in Manley Field House.
