Orangewomen Come From Behind at Miami
1/25/2003 10:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Julie McBride (Mechanicville, N.Y./Catholic Central) scored Syracuse's final seven points in the last two minutes, including the game-winning basket with 19 seconds remaining, to lead the Orangewomen basketball team to a 62-59 win at Miami on January 25. The Orangewomen improved to 7-11 overall and 2-5 in the BIG EAST, while the Hurricanes fell to 12-5 and 4-2.
McBride's game-ending run capped a nine-point comeback in the final five minutes of the game. Syracuse trailed 57-48 with 4:40 remaining, but ended the game on a 14-2 run. McBride hit her fourth three-pointer of the game to narrow the gap to 59-58 with 2:09 left. Both teams remained scoreless until McBride hit a layup with 19 seconds on the clock to give the Orangewomen the lead for good. She then rebounded Miami's next shot attempt and hit both free throws after an immediate foul. McBride ended the night, tipping the Hurricanes' final three-point shot attempt.
The junior guard finished with a game-high 22 points. She also tied a career high with seven rebounds. McBride also dished out four assists and made one steal. Junior Shannon Perry (Providence, R.I./LaSalle) recorded her 11th double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Perry also made four steals on the defensive end. Sophomore Rochelle Coleman (Burntonsville, Md./Paint Branch) scored five points and set a career high with eight rebounds. She also handed out four assists. Junior April Jean (Sacaramento, Calif./Coffeyville C.C.) had nine points, including three in SU's comeback, and eight boards.
Perry's 16-rebound performance moved her into 10th place on the Orangewomen's career rebounding chart. Perry now has 573 rebounds in less than three seasons.
The victory was the first for the Orangewomen at Miami since December 30, 1988. The win snapped SU's 10-game losing streak versus the Hurricanes on the road. It was Syracuse's first game in Miami's new Convocation Center. The win avenged an earlier season 85-68 loss to the Hurricanes at Manley Field House on January 8.
Syracuse dominated the first half, leading by as many as 17 points in the opening stanza. The Orangewomen led 34-21 at the intermission, and outrebounded the Hurricanes, 35-11. SU was able to overcome 33-percent shooting in the first half with 18 offensive rebounds, including six by Coleman. The Orangewomen ended the game with a season-high 52 rebounds.
The Hurricanes opened the second half on a 36-14 run to take their nine-point advantage. Tamara James led Miami with 18 points and eight rebounds. Yalonda McCormick scored 14 points.
Syracuse tries to win back-to-back conference games for the first time this season when it travels to St. John's on Wednesday, January 29. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
