Syracuse University
#23/22 Virginia Tech
Orangewomen Lose to #23/22 Virginia Tech, 75-60
1/31/2004 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse women's basketball team lost to #23/22 Virginia Tech Saturday, January 31 at Manley Field House, 75-60. The Orangewomen are now 6-12 overall and 3-5 in the BIG EAST, while Virginia Tech improves to 15-4 on the season and 5-4 in conference play.
Senior guard Julie McBride had seven assists for the second consecutive game, building her record-setting career total to 543. She went a perfect 3-3 from the free-throw line and now has 316, four short of surpassing Shannon Perry for first all-time at Syracuse. McBride also contributed 17 points, bringing her within 58 points of becoming SU's all-time scoring leader. Five rebounds, two three-point baskets and one steal rounded out McBride's column in the boxscore.
Junior forward Rochelle Coleman scored a team-high 18 points, including 16 in the first half. Her four three-point baskets make her the fifth SU player to tally at least 100 for a career (101). Coleman also added five rebounds, three assists and one block. Junior forward Sarah Wegrzynowicz rounded out SU's top scorers with 12 points
Virginia Tech's Ieva Kublina led all scorers with 23 points. She also contributed ten rebounds, four assists and five blocks. Dawn Chriss and Kerri Gardin each scored 14 points for the Hokies. Chriss added three rebounds, four assists and one steal, while Gardin grabbed eight rebounds and offered six assists and two steals.
The Orangewomen kept it close in the first half, never allowing the Hokie lead to grow past single digits. Aided by thirteen straight points from Coleman, SU forced four lead changes and one tie. A buzzer-beating jumper by Wegrzynowicz ended a five-minute Syracuse scoring draught and cut Virginia Tech's halftime lead to 31-24.
In the second half, SU struck first with a lay-up by Chineze Nwagbo to bring the game within five. McBride converted at the free-throw line with 17:09 remaining, shaving the Hokie's lead to 37-34. For the next four minutes the Orangewomen remained scoreless, allowing Virginia Tech to build a nine-point advantage. Beginning at the 7:33 mark, Virginia Tech reeled off ten straight points to take its largest lead of the game, 65-48. SU would get only as close as 11 the rest of the way.
Syracuse will try to snap its four-game losing streak on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Rutgers. The Orangewomen won the first meeting between the two teams, 59-57 in overtime, at Manley Field House January 14.
