Syracuse University
at Pittsburgh
McBride Hits for 23 in SU Win at Pittsburgh
1/7/2004 10:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Senior guard Julie McBride led all scorers with 23 points to lead the Syracuse women's basketball team to a 71-51 victory versus Pittsburgh at the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday, January 7. The Orangewomen snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 4-7 overall and 1-0 in the BIG EAST, while the Panthers now stand at 4-8 and 0-2 in the league.
McBride moved into third place on the SU all-time scoring list. She now has 1,358 points, passing Holly Oslander (1,353). McBride also dished out six assists and had five rebounds in 40 minutes. McBride has now scored at least 20 points in six of the Orangewomen's 11 games.
Junior center Chineze Nwagbo recorded her second double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-best 12 rebounds. Freshman guard Lauren Kohn notched her second straight double-digit game with 14 points, including four three-pointers. Junior forward Rochelle Coleman chipped in nine points.
LaToya Kincaid led the Panters with 10 points. Jessica Allen scored nine points on three three-pointers, while Jennifer Brown had four points and a team-best eight rebounds.
The Orangewomen were able to overcome a 48-32 rebounding deficit by hitting 43.3 percent (26-60) of their shots and limiting the Panthers to just 31.1 percent (19-61) from the floor. SU hit 51.7 percent from the floor in the second half en route to 42 points, their highest-scoring half of the season. Syracuse's 71 points for the game is a season high. The Orangewomen also committed only 10 turnovers while forcing the Panthers into 22 miscues.
The Orangewomen took an early 8-0 lead on eight straight points by McBride, holding Pittsburgh scoreless for the first 3:27 of the game. The Panthers fought back to within 15-13 at the 9:15 mark, but SU was able to push the lead back to six at 22-16 with five minutes remaining in the half on Kohn's second three-pointer of the period. Syracuse took a four-point advantage, 29-25, into halftime. It was the Orangewomen's first halftime lead since ending the first stanza against Navy ahead 24-15. The 29 points marked SU's largest-scoring first half of the season. Syracuse has now won 23 of the last 26 games they have led at halftime.
Pittsburgh scored the first points of the second half as Allen nailed a three to cut the Syracuse lead to 29-28. The Orangewomen responded with a 17-3 run during the next seven minutes. McBride had nine points and two assists during the run. Pittsburgh got to within 12 points at 46-38 with 10:17 remaining, but the Orangewomen again went on a run, outscoring the Panthers 19-6 during the next seven minutes to take a 67-42 lead with 3:15 left in the game.
Syracuse made 36.0 percent (9-of-25) from three-point range, its highest percentage since hitting 42.9 percent against Massachusetts on November 25. In only 11 games, the Orangewomen have connected on 91 three-pointers, already the eighth-best total in school history. Five of SU's seven players made at least one three. Kohn led the squad with four, McBride hit two, while junior Sarah Wegrzynowicz, Coleman and sophomore Jill Norton each made one. Syracuse ranks fourth in the nation, averaging 8.4 three-pointers per contest.
The Orangewomen return home to play St. John's on Saturday, January 10. Tip-off at Manley Field House is set for 7 p.m.
