Syracuse University
Rutgers
McBride Keys SU Overtime Win Against Rutgers
1/14/2004 9:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse women's basketball team overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat Rutgers, 59-57 in overtime, snapping a two-game home losing streak. The Orangewomen improve to 5-8 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST, while the Scarlet Knights fall to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
Senior guard Julie McBride led all scorers with 25 points, bringing her within two of becoming only the third Orangewoman ever to score at least 1,400 points. McBride has now scored 25-or-more in four of SU's 13 games. McBride also added five assists, giving her a total of 517. She currently ranks third on Syracuse's all-time assists list, trailing Sue Ludwig by 12 and Raquel Nurse by 13.
McBride stuffed the boxscore, adding four three-point shots and two steals. She also shot 75% from the free-throw line. Junior center Chineze Nwagbo recorded 12 points and three assists, while grabbing eight rebounds. Junior Rochelle Coleman added six rebounds, nine points and one assist.
"This is obviously a good win for us," said SU head coach Keith Cieplicki. "I'm really happy with our execution on both ends of the floor in the second half. I give all the credit to the players for their decision making and effort on both ends of the court."
For the Scarlet Knights, Cappie Pondexter had a team-high 19 points, six assists, six rebounds and two steals. Senior guard Dawn McCullouch scored 11 and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Rutgers' top scorers were rounded out by junior center Rebecca Richman, who recorded ten points and six rebounds.
McBride scored the first basket of the game to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead. Rutgers then ran off ten straight points, giving them a 10-2 lead with 14:20 to go in the first half. The Scarlet Knight's lead continued to grow, expanding to 33-18 at halftime.
In the second half, the Orangewomen fought to within ten points at the 17:45 mark, gaining momentum off baskets from Nwagbo and McBride. Aided by six three-point shots, including three from McBride, SU continued to whittle away at the Rutgers lead. With 43 seconds remaining in regulation junior Sarah Wegrzynowicz hit a three-point basket, leaving the Orange trailing by one, 49-48, Rutgers' Pondexter converted on two free-throws to push the lead back to 51-48.
The Orangewomen found themselves in position to score in the waning seconds of regulation. Freshman guard Lauren Kohn attempted to tie the game, but her shot rimmed out. She regrouped, grabbing her own rebound, and fed McBride, who sank the tying basket with six seconds remaining to bring the game to overtime at 51-51.
During the overtime period, a three-point basket by Kohn with 2:51 remaining in overtime gave the Orangewomen their second lead of the game. McBride scored five of SU's eight points, including three clutch free-throws in the final minute to secure the win.
The victory was only SU's third all-time against the Scarlet Knights, however the Orangewomen have now won two straight against Rutgers at Manley Field House.
Syracuse's continues BIG EAST play at Providence on Saturday, Jan 17 at 2:00 p.m.
