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ORANGE RETURNS HOME TO HOST NOTRE DAME
After winning consecutive road conference games for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign, the Orange return to the Carrier Dome to host perennial power Notre Dame on Jan. 31. SU scored its first two league victories of the season by knocking off Seton Hall, 64-56, on Jan. 25 and Providence on Jan. 28, 77-76, in overtime. It marked the third time under head coach Keith Cieplicki SU won consecutive BIG EAST encounters. A triumph versus Notre Dame would extend the Orange’s winning streak to three, its longest of the season. The Fighting Irish are reeling, having lost six of their last nine. All three wins in that stretch have come by three points or less. Notre Dame lost an overtime decision to South Florida, 68-64, in South Bend on Jan. 28 in its most recent contest.
ECKHART NAMED TO BIG EAST HONOR ROLL
Freshman
Jenny Eckhart was honored by the conference for the second time this season when she was selected to the weekly honor roll on Jan. 30. Eckhart averaged 18.0 points, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals and shot 50 percent (4-for-8) from 3-point range in SU’s two wins last week. She scored a game-high 17 points to lead SU past Seton Hall, 64-56, on Jan. 25. With the performance, she became the first Orange student-athlete since Raquel Nurse in 1994-95 to net at least 200 points in her rookie season. In SU’s 77-76 overtime win at Providence on Jan. 28, Eckhart finished with 19 points and played all 45 minutes in the game. She was 7-of-9 from the floor and 3-for-3 from 3-point land versus the Friars. Two of her three triples came in the final 1:18 of regulation, including the game-tying trifecta with eights seconds to play to force overtime. The Libertyville, Ill. native shot 65 percent from the field in the two triumphs (13-20). Earlier this season, Eckhart was selected as the league’s Freshman of the Week on Dec. 5.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
In SU’s last two games, both victories, the Orange has dominated after halftime. Consider these half by half numbers for the last two games:
• SU averaged 40.0 points in the second half vs. 26.0 in the first.
• SU shot 53.6 percent (30-56) in the second half vs. 38.7 (24-62) in the first.
• SU owned a +4.5 turnover margin in the second half vs. a -2.5 margin in the first.
• SU held a scoring margin of +10.5 points in second half vs. a -6.5 margin in the first.
KEEPIN’ THE STREAK ALIVE
Sophomore Vaida Sipaviciute made all three of her free-throw attempts at Providence to extend her consecutive free throws made streak to 19. She hasn’t missed a charity shot since Dec. 29 at Cornell. Sipaviciute’s current streak is the longest of any SU player this season and the longest since Chineze Nwagbo connected on 24 straight last season.
SU BENCHES FRIARS
The SU reserve corps outscored Providence’s personnel, 41-27, in the Orange’s 77-76 overtime win against the Friars on Jan. 28. It was the highest point total the Orange reserves have recorded this season. Sophomore
Vaida Sipaviciute led the SU reserves with a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds to post her sixth double-double of the year. Freshman
Keri Laimbeer chipped in nine points off the bench and sophomore
Amanda Adamson had seven points, including a key 3-point field goal in overtime. The Orange starters combined for 36 points, including 19 by rookie guard
Jenny Eckhart.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH
After starting the season 9-1, Notre Dame has lost six of its last nine, including its last two contests. The Irish were routed at Rutgers, 69-43, on Jan. 24 and dropped a 68-64 OT decision at home to South Florida on Jan. 28. All-America candidate Megan Duffy has led the Fighting Irish in scoring in each of their last four games. She is averaging 16.1 points per game and leads the club with 80 assists. Duffy is the only player scoring in double figures for the Irish. Freshman Lindsay Schrader is the team’s top rebounder at 5.8 per game and she is Notre Dame’s second-leading scorer (8.6 ppg). Coach Muffet McGraw picked up her 500th career victory earlier this season and she owns an overall record of 511-203 (.716). She is 423-162 (.723) at Notre Dame. McGraw has guided the Irish to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 10 seasons and the 2001 national championship.
THE SYRACUSE-NOTRE DAME SERIES
The Fighting Irish hold the advantage in the all-time series, 18-2, and own a 14-0 mark versus the Orange in regular-season conference games. The Irish has won the last five meetings and swept both clashes last season. SU’s last win versus Notre Dame came in its NCAA Tournament season of 2001-02 when it defeated the Irish 84-79 at the RAC in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals. The Orange’s only other victory over the Golden Domers was on Feb. 4, 1989, 63-56, at Manley Field House. The Irish own a 7-1 margin in games contested in Syracuse.
Syracuse vs. Notre Dame Facts & Figures
All-Time Series: ND leads, 18-2
First Meeting: Jan. 16, 1988 (Notre Dame 81, Syracuse 64)
Last Meeting: Jan. 19, 2005 (Notre Dame 74, Syracuse 61)
Last 10 Meetings: ND leads, 9-1
Current Streak: ND, 5
Coach Cieplicki’s Record vs. Notre Dame: 0-4 (at Vermont 0-0; at Syracuse 0-4)
