Game Notes (.pdf)|
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- After three road games to begin the season, the SU women's basketball team (2-1) hosts Sacred Heart (1-1) in its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 1:00 p.m. in Manley Field House. The game is one of three that will be played in Manley this year. SU's remaining 10 home games will be held in the Orange's new home - the Carrier Dome.
SYRACUSE IN HOME OPENERS
Over the years, the Orange has been very successful in its first home game of a campaign. SU is 22-12 (.647) in its 34 previous home openers. The Orange posted wins in seven consecutive home openers from 1978-84 before a loss to Penn State in the 1984-85 home starter ended the streak. Syracuse also won five straight home openers on two separate occasions (1988-92 and 1996-2000). The Orange are 21-10 in home openers played at Manley Field House and own a 1-2 mark in home openers held in Gym A on campus. SU has won both of its home starters under Coach Keith Cieplicki. In 2003-04, Cieplicki’s first season, the Orange defeated Massachusetts to break a string of three consecutive home-opening losses. SU knocked off Niagara, 62-57, in its first home game last year.
ORANGE CRASH BOARDS VERSUS NIAGARA
Syracuse may have come up on the short end of the score in its most recent game at Niagara, but the Orange attacked the glass with ferocity. SU pulled down a season-best 55 rebounds, including a season-high 23 offensive boards. It was the first time the Orange snared 50 or more rebounds in a game since it accumulated 52 caroms against the Purple Eagles last season and it was the most boards in game since a 61-rebound effort against Akron in the 2000-01 Carrier Classic. The Orange’s rebound feast was 13 boards shy of the single-game record. SU pulled down 68 rebounds against Rider on Dec. 18, 1993. Sophomore Vaida Sipaviciute and junior Tracy Harbut have ruled the glass for Syracuse. The duo leads the team, averaging 11.7 caroms per outing and Sipaviciute had a career-best 15 rebounds against the Purple Eagles.
A FULL DAY OF WORK
The Orange starters aren’t getting much of a breather these days. Four members of SU’s starting five are logging 30 or more minutes per game through SU’s first three contests.
Vaida Sipaviciute (36.3),
Jenny Eckhart (37.7),
Cintia Johnson (30.0)
and
Tracy Harbut (35.3) have all been on the floor for at least 30 minutes per contest and SU’s fifth starter,
Keri Laimbeer,
is averaging 24 minutes per outing. The Orange’s starting five has accounted for 490 of SU’s 600 minutes played this season (81.6 percent). Eckhart, Sipaviciute and Harbut have each gone the full 40 minutes once this year. Eckhart did it in the season opener at Manhattan. Sipaviciute played the entire game at Buffalo and Harbut turned the trick at Niagara.
An Orange player went the distance nine times last season. Jessica Richter and Rochelle Coleman each went the whole way versus Rutgers on Feb. 16, 2005.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Today’s game is the third and final game of a three-game road trip for the Pioneers to begin the season. Sacred Heart is off to a 1-1 start in 2005-06. The Pioneers defeated BIG EAST foe Providence in their season opener, 65-49, on Nov. 18 before being trounced by Hofstra, 83-50, on Nov. 22. The Pioneers have struggled offensively, averaging 57.5 points per game. As a team, Sacred Heart has made just two 3-pointers this season and is shooting (.071, 2-28) from behind the arc. The Pioneers have also lost the battle of the boards so far this season with opposing clubs owning a +12.5 margin on the glass (48.0-35.5). To make matters worse, the Pioneers have averaged 20. 5 turovers in its first two contests. On the bright side, Sacred Heart got to the free-throw line an average of 35.5 times in its first two outings.
Amanda Pape (14.0 ppg), Nicolle Rubino (10.5 ppg) and Jasmine Walker (10.0 ppg) are all averaging in double figures for the Pioneers and five other players are each averaging at least 4.0 points per game. Pape is Sacred Heart’s top rebounder at 7.0 boards per game.
THE SYRACUSE-SACRED HEART SERIES
Today’s match-up is just the second meeting between these two schools. The Orange won the first meeting, 63-59, on Dec. 28, 2004 in Fairfield Conn. SU’s
Jessica Richter went 6-for-6 from the foul line in the final 1:37 to clinch the victory.
Amanda Adamson, Vaida Sipaviciute and
Rochelle Coleman each scored in double figures for the Orange. Adamson and Sipaviciute each scored 12 points, while Coleman finished with 10. Sipaviciute also contributed six blocked shots.
Syracuse vs. Sacred Heart Facts & Figures
All-Time Series: SU leads, 1-0
First Meeting: Dec. 28, 2004 (Syracuse 63, Sacred Heart 59)
Last Meeting: See First Meeting
Last 10 Meetings: See Series Record
Current Streak: SU, 1
Coach Cieplicki’s Record vs. Sacred Heart: 1-0
