Syracuse Plays Host to South Florida on ESPNU

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The Syracuse University women’s basketball team (8-12, 2-5 BIG EAST) returns to the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome for a BIG EAST show down with the -/RV University of South Florida Bulls (14-5, 4-2 BIG EAST) on Sun., Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPNU with Amy Lawrence (play by play) and Brooke Weisbrod (Analyst) on the call. Live video of the contest can also been seen on suathletics.com via Orange All Access and fans can also listen for FREE on suathletics.com with Brian Higgins calling the action. The game can also be heard live on WJPZ 89.1 FM. Live stats of the contest are available on suathletics.com.

The Orange is riding a three-game losing steak. SU lost a 76-45 decision at No. 7/5 Connecticut on Jan. 13 and came up short against RV/25 Pittsburgh, 84-75, at the Carrier Dome on Jan. 16. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish emerged victorious, 83-55, at the Joyce Center in Syracuse’s last contest on Jan. 20. The Bulls lost a 73-48 decision at Pittsburgh on Jan. 20. South Florida and Syracuse have three common opponents in Villanova, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. Both squads beat Villanova and lost to Pittsburgh. The Orange lost at ND, while the Bulls were victorious against the Irish in overtime at the Sun Dome.

GIRL SCOUT DAY

Syracuse University Athletics has partnered with the Girl Scout Council of CNY on Sunday for the annual Girl Scout Day at the Dome.

INTERRELIGIOUS FOOD CONSORTIUM

Syracuse Athletics has once again partnered with the Interrreligious Food Consortium for Sunday’s game vs. South Florida. Fans are asked to bring non-perishable food items to donate. These items go to support Syracuse community members who are in need of food through their network of food pantries. The IFC will be located in the Carrier Dome concourse taking collections.

THINK PINK FOR THE “PINK”-END OF JANUARY 26-28

The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has encouraged its membership, all coaching staffs and game day support staffs to help unify the women’s basketball world in a show of support for all coaches in our profession who are battling cancer throughout the weekend of January 26-28. All coaches have been asked to wear pink on the bench and to promote this weekend with their players and fans as they see fit. We are all joining together to educate, create awareness and motivate everyone to learn about cancer prevention.

SECOND CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Freshman Nicole Michael scored 14 points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for her second-consecutive and fifth double-double of the season at Notre Dame on Jan. 20. Michael was 6-of-7 (.857) from the free-throw line and added two assists and a steal in her 33 minutes of action. Michael currently leads the Orange in points (16.4) and rebounds (8.3). She is second in steals (1.6) and third in assists (1.8), field-goal percentage (.424) and free-throw percentage, making 66.9 percent of her attempts (97-145). Michael’s five double-doubles rank eighth on the BIG EAST double-double chart. The freshman has tallied at least 10 points and five rebounds in 15 of SU’s 20 games and has scored in double-figures in seven consecutive games putting her sixth on the BIG EAST double-figure active scoring streak chart. She has led Syracuse in scoring and rebounding11 times, steals nine times, blocks six times and assists once. Michael is seventh overall and first for freshman in the BIG EAST (all games) in points. An average which is also 94th in the country. She is also fifth overall and first for freshman in rebounding in the conference (all games). An average which is also good for 100th in the nation. She is third overall and first for freshman in defensive rebounds (all games) at 5.95. In BIG EAST games only, Michael is 13th in steals (2.0).

ORANGE LEADER

Junior Fantasia Goodwin led the Orange with 16 points at Notre Dame on Jan. 20. She was 7-of-14 (.500) from the field and added five rebounds, two steals and one assist in 34 minutes of playing time. It was the second consecutive game Goodwin has led SU in scoring. She had a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds versus RV/25 Pittsburgh on Jan. 16. Goodwin has reached the double-figure plateau in four consecutive games (16, 11, 22, 14) and 14 of SU’s 20 games. The Hastings, N.Y. native is first on the team in 3-point field goal and free-throw percentage, making 41.7 percent (35-84) of her 3-pointers and 70.7 percent (29-41) of her free throws. She is also first on the team in 3-point field goals made (1.8). Goodwin is second in rebounds (7.1) and field goal percentage, making 96 of her 218 attempts (.476). She is also third in points (12.8) and steals (1.2). The junior has led the Orange in scoring and rebounding six times, steals three times, assists and blocks once. Goodwin is ranked in six different categories in the BIG EAST. She is third in 3-point field-goal percentage, seventh in minutes played (33.85), ninth in 3-point field goals made (1.75), 15th in defensive rebounds (4.85), 18th in rebounding and 26th in scoring. Goodwin has already earned accolades this season by being named to Brown Classic All-Tournament and San Juan Shootout All-Tournament teams.

SCOUTING THE BULLS

The -/RV South Florida Bulls (14-5, 4-2 BIG EAST) dropped a 73-48 road decision at No. 25 Pittsburgh on Jan. 20. Senior forward Jessica Dickson was held to 10 points. Senior center Nalini Miller also had 10 points. The Bulls shot just 16.1 percent (5-of-31) from the field in the first stanza en route to a 31-14 deficit at the half. South Florida’s 14 points at the intermission equaled the sixth fewest points in a half in school history. The deficit was also the worst of the season for the Bulls. Pitt broke the game open in the beginning of the second half with a 14-2 run to take a 45-16 lead with 15:53 left. The Panthers would extend its lead to as many as 32 points three times in the second half. For the game, South Florida shot 27.0 percent.

Jessica Dickson leads the way for the Bulls with 20.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. Shantia Grace has added 15.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and a team-best 4.9 assists. Nalini Miller has contributed 8.1 points, a team-high 8.3 rebounds and a team-best 1.7 blocks. ChiChi Okpaleke is averaging 7.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. Rachel Sheats has donated 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds a team-high 2.2 steals.

Jose Fernandez, (93-100 (.482)) is in her ninth season as head coach of the Bulls women’s basketball team. South Florida is receiving votes in coaches poll. The Bulls have logged their second loss in its last four games. South Florida’s next win will tie the school record for the best start in program history (the 1976-77 team finished the year 15-4). The team is currently off to its second best 19-game start in the team’s 35 year’s. South Florida topped No. 15 Louisville 74-58 at home on Jan. 16. It was the Bulls’ first win over a ranked in team in four tries this season and their third victory in 20 tries all-time against Top 25 teams. The win marks the second-highest ranked team that South Florida has defeated. The Bulls topped No. 11 DePaul 79-77 in overtime on Dec. 7, 2005.

THE SYRACUSE-SOUTH FLORIDA SERIES

Syracuse and South Florida have met three times previously. The first two meetings came during the 1989-90 season as part of in-season tournaments and the Orange posted triumphs in both contests. SU knocked off the Bulls, 74-55, on Nov. 26, 1989 in the Carrier Classic. A little more than a month later, on Dec. 29 at the South Florida Holiday Classic in Tampa, SU scored a 76-70 decision. The Bulls were victorious, 73-55, in the first BIG EAST meeting between the two schools last season.

Syracuse University Athletics

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