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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SU women's basketball team (2-0) will play its third road game in six days on Wednesday, Nov. 23 when it meets Niagara (0-2) for a 7:00 p.m. tip off at the Gallagher Center. The Orange are looking for its third straight win before returning to Manley Field House for its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 27 versus Sacred Heart.
SIPAVICIUTE NAMED TO BIG EAST HONOR ROLL
Sophomore center Vaida Sipaviciute was named to the Week 1 conference honor roll on Monday, Nov. 21 for her role in SU’s two victories last week. She leads the Orange in field goal percentage (.581, 18-31) and is averaging a double-double (19.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg) through two games. Sipaviciute posted her second career double-double with personal-bests in points (23) and rebounds (11) in SU’s 64-63 triumph at Buffalo on Nov. 20. Sipaviciute was 10-of-17 from the field against the Bulls and also tallied five blocks while playing all 40 minutes. Against Manhattan in the season-opener, she scored 16 points, pulled down nine rebounds and swatted three shots to help the Orange to a 65-61 triumph.
ORANGE VERSUS THE MAAC
Niagara is SU’s second MAAC (Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference) opponent the Orange will face this season. Syracuse squared off against MAAC foe Manhattan on Nov. 18 and posted a 65-61 triumph versus the Jaspers. SU will face its third MAAC opponent of the 2005-06 campaign on Dec. 4 when it competes at Canisius. The Orange is 33-11 (.750) all-time against schools currently competing in the conference. SU is unbeaten versus four MAAC schools (5-0 vs. Iona, 1-0 vs. Fairfield, 1-0 vs. Rider, 4-0 vs. Marist). The Orange have also won eight of nine meetings with Canisius. The only MAAC foe that has a winning record against Syracuse is Siena (5-3).
SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES
Niagara has stumbled out of the gate, losing its first two games of the season to New York foes Albany and Cornell in the St. Bonaventure Shootout in Olean, N.Y. The Purple Eagles lost their season opener on Nov. 19, 54-47, against the Great Danes and were beaten the following day by the Big Red, 75-63, in overtime. Forward Shaunna Ambrose is the club’s top scorer at 18.0 points per game. She is averaging 39.0 minutes per game in Niagara’s first two contests and leads the team with six three-point field goals. For her efforts, she was selected to the all-tournament team. Jennifer Roueche is the Purple Eagles’ top rebounder at 7.5 boards per game.
The Purple Eagles are averaging 41.5 rebounds per game thus far, but have allowed 47.5 caroms to its opponents, a -6.0 margin. Niagara is coached by Bill Agronin, who has been named the MAAC Coach of the Year in two out of the last three seasons (2002-03, 2004-05). He guided the team to a 17-12 record a year ago.
SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE (TWICE)
Against Buffalo, junior Tracy Harbut and sophomore Vaida Sipaviciute became the first Orange duo to notch double-doubles in the same game since Chineze Nwagbo and Jessica Richter achieved the feat last season at Rutgers on Feb. 6, 2005. Harbut has posted double-doubles in SU’s first two games this season and they represent the first two double-doubles of her career. Against Manhattan in the season-opener, she scored 10 points and pulled down a career-best 13 boards, including a personal high 12 defensive caroms. In SU’s clash with the Bulls, the Lexington, Ky. native matched her career high with 13 points and corralled 10 rebounds in 39 minutes of action. Harbut leads the conference in defensive rebounds at 9.5 per game.
Sipaviciute also recorded the second double-double of her career in SU’s encounter with the Bulls. The sophomore center led the Orange in scoring and rebounding in the game, setting career bests with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Sipaviciute played all 40 minutes in the contest. Her first double-double came against Providence last season when she tallied 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 72-51 thrashing of the Friars on Jan. 12, 2005 at Manley Field House.
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE UP
Through its first two games the Orange has been feeling it from the field. Syracuse has knocked down 53 of its 116 attempts (.457) from the floor. SU has not shot below .438 in a half during its first two contests and the Orange connected on 50 percent of its shots (14-28) in the second stanza of its season opener at Manhattan on its way to a 65-61 victory. SU finished with a .473 shooting percentage versus the Jaspers and was 27-for-61 (.443) against Buffalo. In 29 games last season, the Orange finished with a field goal percentage higher than 44 percent just four times and SU lost 2-2 those contests. SU finished the 2004-05 campaign with a field goal percentage of .389 (625-1606).
ADAMSON AND McMILLEN CONTRIBUTE IN RESERVE ROLES
Sophomore Amanda Adamson and junior Ashley McMillen gave SU head coach Keith Cieplicki quality minutes off the bench at Buffalo. Adamson scored her first two points of the season on a field goal with 3:44 remaining in the game that extended SU’s lead to six points at a critical juncture in the game. She also grabbed three rebounds and tied her career high with three assists in 13 minutes.
McMillen came off the pine in the first half and sparked a stagnant Orange offense by drilling two deep three-point field goals. McMillen connected on another attempt from behind the arc in the second period to finish with nine points in 17 minutes of action. A transfer from Monroe Community College in Rochester, McMillen was 3-of-5 from long range in the game. She also had a steal. All 12 of McMillen’s points this season have come on three-point baskets and all but one of her field goal attempts have come from behind the arc. The Penfield, N.Y. native was brought to SU specifically to stretch opposing defenses. She set the Monroe career record with 182 triples in two seasons and helped the club to two NCJAA Division II national championships.
THE SYRACUSE-NIAGARA SERIES
SU has won six of the eight meetings between the two teams, including the last four in a row. The Orange defeated the Purple Eagles in last year’s season-opener, 62-57, at Manley Field House on Nov. 19, 2004. Chineze Nwagbo and Sara Antolick eached scored in double figures in the game with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Prior to last year’s clash the two teams had not met since a 67-54 Orange victory on Feb. 9, 2002. The Purple Eagles last win in the series came on Feb. 20, 1980, 67-52. Four of the eight games between the two schools came in the span of two seasons (1978-79; 1979-80).
Syracuse vs. Niagara Facts & Figures
All-Time Series SU leads, 6-2
First Meeting Feb. 14, 1979 (Niagara 55, Syracuse 49)
Last Meeting Nov. 19, 2004 (Syracuse 62, Niagara 57)
Last 10 Meetings See Series Record
Current Streak SU, 4
Coach Cieplicki’s Record vs. Niagara 1-0
