Vaida Sipaviciute averaged 19.0 points and 3.5 blocked shots in SU's two games this week.
Orange Women Score 45-42 Win Versus Villanova
1/29/2005 4:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SYRACUSE N.Y. – Freshman center Vaida Sipaviciute netted a career-high 21 points to lead the Syracuse women's basketball team to a 45-42 victory against BIG EAST foe Villanova on Saturday afternoon in front of a season-high crowd of 1,304 at Manley Field House. The Orange improved to 11-8, 3-5 in the conference. Villanova is now 11-7, 4-3 in the league. The victory stopped a three-game losing streak and was SU's first against the Wildcats since Feb. 2, 2002.
Sipaviciute also grabbed seven rebounds and tallied two blocked shots and two assists. Senior forward Chineze Nwagbo finished with 11 points and five boards. Freshman guard Jessica Richter added six points and pulled down seven rebounds. Senior guard Rochelle Coleman dished out nine assists, tying her career best, to go with her three points. Coleman, Syracuse's point guard, played 40 minutes without committing a turnover.
Jackie Adamshick led the Wildcats with 12 points, while Jennifer Hilgenberg tallied 10 points. Liad Suez and Jana Rediger each grabbed eight boards for Villanova. The Wildcats entered the game hitting a league-best 6.4 three-pointers per contest, but the Orange defense limited them to just 1-for-14 on the afternoon (7.1 percent).
SU took charge in the paint as Sipaviciute and Nwagbo scored SU's first 20 points and combined to tally 22 of SU's 26 first-half points. Coleman nailed a three-pointer to give the Orange a 23-18 lead with 4:20 left in the opening frame. The Orange outscored the Wildcats 20-10 on points in the paint in the first stanza. Syracuse took a 26-20 lead into the halftime break.
Sipaviciute scored SU's first eight points of the second half and the Orange took a 36-28 lead on a jumper by freshman Amanda Adamson. Villanova used a 12-0 run to take a 40-36 lead with 7:55 left on the second-half clock, its first since leading 6-4 with 16:17 left in the first half. Richter hit a three to pull SU within one, 40-39, with 7:15 remaining in the game. The Wildcats took a 42-39 lead on a jumper by Suez with 5:17 left, but Villanova did not score the rest of the way. Freshman Mary Joe Riley used her quick first step for a reverse layup on the baseline and Sipaviciute hit a turn-around in the lane to give SU a 43-42 lead with 1:13 on the clock. After SU turned it over on a five-second call with 18.2 seconds left, Villanova missed a jumper and Richter pulled down the rebound and got fouled with 1.9 seconds left. Richter hit both free throws to secure the 45-42 victory.
SU's 45 points is the fewest in a win since a 45-41 victory at Keuka College on Feb. 12, 1975. Syracuse held a slight edge in rebounding, 33-32. SU shot 40.4% (19-for-47) from the field and Villanova shot 34.5% (19-for-55). The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Orange and matched its BIG EAST win total from all of last year (3-13).
Syracuse will attempt to win its fourth league game of the season when it hosts Georgetown on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Tip-off at Manley Field House is set for 7 p.m.
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