Orangewomen Hoops Returns to Action
12/18/2003 2:30:39 PM | Women's Basketball
The Orangewomen play their first game since December 4 when they travel to Cornell on Saturday, December 20. It is the longest stretch without competition of the season, and the longest for the program since going 17 days between games in 1997-98. SU played a home game versus Rutgers on December 13, 1997 and did not play again until December 30 versus Seton Hall.
The extended break was not scheduled. The Orangewomen were supposed to play a home game against Yale on December 7, but a winter storm that hit the Northeast prevented the Bulldogs from making the trip to Syracuse. The game was postponed until January 5 at 7 p.m. SU now will play just three games this month, the slowest December for the program since the 1977-78 squad played only three times.
The Orangewomen’s two weeks without a game followed one of the most hectic portions on the schedule. SU played November 25, traveled to Hawaii on November 26, played games on November 28-30, returned to Syracuse on December 2, left for another road game on December 3, and played on December 4, losing at George Washington, 65-43. Sophomore guard Marchele Campbell led the Orangewomen with a career-best 12 points, including three three-pointers. Sophomore Tierra Jackson paced SU on the glass with 10 rebounds.
Despite just seven points versus the Colonials, senior guard Julie McBride still leads the Orangewomen, averaging 19.0 points per game. McBride has made 18 three-pointers through six games and leads the team with 27 assists. She has been held to less than double-digits in consecutive games just twice since becoming a full-time starter at the end of her freshman season. McBride ranks among the top 50 in the nation in scoring (t-48th) and is tied for 15th in the country in both free throw percentage (93.8) and three-pointers per game (3.0). Junior Chineze Nwagbo has posted solid numbers in her first season back from an ACL injury that forced her to miss the 2002-03 campaign. Nwagbo is tied for the team lead with Jackson at 6.2 rebounds per game. She is also scoring at a 6.3 points per game clip, shooting a team-best 59.3 percent. Freshman Lauren Kohn has been a nice addition to the SU lineup. She is second on the team in scoring with an 8.5 points per game average and is second on the team with 13 three-pointers made. Kohn has hit at least one three-pointer in each of her first six games, the longest stretch for a rookie since McBride made a three in her first nine collegiate contests.
SCOUTING THE BIG RED
Cornell has had a layoff similar to the Orangewomen. The Big Red’s last game was on December 6, a 66-55 win versus James Madison in the championship game of the Cornell Classic. After losing their first four games, the Big Red have won two straight, defeating Bucknell, 68-62, in the first round of the Cornell Classic.
Cornell is an experienced squad with five seniors in the startinglineup. Two of those veterans are averaging in double figures led by forward Tanya Karcic. Karcic is scoring 16.2 points per contest, including 26 last time out against the Dukes. She is also the Big Red’s leading rebounder at 9.0 boards per contest. Guard Lauren Kilduff is scoring 11.0 points per game. Forward Katie Romey and guard Karen Force average 9.7 and 8.2 points per game, respectively. Force is the BigRed’s leader in assists with 23 (3.8).
The Cornell defense has stiffened in its two victories. The Big Red allowed opponents 81.8 points per game in its first four games, but has given up an average of 58.5 during its last two outings. As a team, Cornell is shooting 37.1 percent overall and and just 27.3 percent from three-point range. The Big Red average 3.0 threes per game. Cornell has turned the ball over 20.5 times per game overall, but have dropped that statistic to 15.5 in its two victories.
THE SYRACUSE VS. CORNELL SERIES
The Orangewomen lead the all-time series with Cornell, 9-2. Syracuse has won nine straight meetings, including a 76-47 victory at Manley Field House last season. The series has featured several blowouts. Cornell defeated SU 64-24 in the first meeting in 1973. Syracuse has two 41-point wins and a 55-point victory. In SU’s nine wins versus Cornell, the average margin of victory is 28.1 points.
SYRACUSE LIMITING TURNOVERS
Through six games, the Orangewomen have lowered their turnovers by more than four per game from last season. In 2002-03, SU averaged 17 turnovers per contest and did not have a game with fewer than 12. This season, the Orangewomen are turning it over just 12.7 times per contest, and have had two games with less than 10 (Binghamton and Hawaii). Syracuse is ranked second in the conference and third in the nation in fewest turnovers per game. SU had just seven miscues against the Rainbow Wahine, the team’s lowest total since turning it over seven times in a 74-46 win versus West Virginia on February 23, 2002. Syracuse is fifth in the conference with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.1 (81/76).
THREE-POINT GAME A BIG PART OF SU’S OFFENSE
A large portion of the Orangewomen’s production this season has come from beyon the three-point line. SU has made 54 three-pointers in just six games, accounting for 46.1 percent of their total field goals. The Orangewomen’s 9.0 three-pointers per game leads the BIG EAST and is third in the nation. More than half of SU field goal attempts have been from long range (171-of-326). The Orangewomen rank 11th in the league in three-point percentage at 31.6. Syracuse has already set team single-game records for three-pointers made and attempted. SU shot 35 triples against both Binghamton and UMass, making 15 versus the Minutewomen. While the three-ball has been a big part of SU’s three wins, it has also been a key stat in the three losses. The Orangewomen are shooting 35.2 percent from deep (31-for-88) in the three victories. In the three defeats, SU has a three-point accuracy rate of just 27.7 percent (23-for-83).
McBRIDE GUNNING FOR FIFTH PLACE ALL-TIME
Julie McBride jumped another spot on the Orangewomen’s all-time scoring list with 24 points in the loss to Hawaii. McBride now ranks sixth all-time with 1,278 points. She is just eight points from displacing Beth Record from fifth place (1, 285). McBride is 22 points shy of becoming the fifth Orangewoman ever to reach the 1,300-point mark. She is 248 points short breaking the Orangewomen’s all-time scoring record held by current Hofstra head coach Felisha Legette with 1,526. McBride would need to average 12.4 points per game for the remainder of the regular season to pass Legette. McBride ranks tied for 48th in the nation so far this season at 19.0 ppg.
CAMPBELL SHOWS SHOOTING ABILITY
Sophmore guard Marchele Campbell led Syracuse with a career-high 12 points, including nine in the second half, against George Washington. It was the first double-digit scoring game of her career. Campbell became the fifth SU player to score at least 10 points in a game this season. Campbell made 4-of-7 shots from the floor, including 3-of-6 from three. This season, she is averaging 4.0 points per game and has made five three-pointers. Campbell was a career 53.6 percent three-point shooter in high school, knocking down 94 triples as a senior in 2001-02.
KOHN STARTS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME
Freshman Lauren Kohn has started SU’s last three games after being used as a reserve to start the season. Kohn is Syracuse’s second-leading scorer at 8.5 points per game. She recorded her first two career double-digit scoring games against Hawaii and Navy (13 and 11, respectively). She has done most of her damage from behind the three-point line. She ranks second on the team with 13 three-pointers and a 34.2 percentage. Kohn has made just five two-point baskets in six games. She is ranked 10th in the BIG EAST in three-point percentage and 11th in the conference with 2.2 three-pointers per contest.
