Basketball Game Against Rutgers Moved to 4 p.m.

The Syracuse women's basketball game against Rutgers has been moved to 4 p.m. in the Carrier Dome today due to the weather. There will be no admission charge for fans to attend.

The Syracuse University women’s basketball team (8-16, 2-9 BIG EAST) plays host to the No. 23/23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (15-7, 8-3 BIG EAST) on Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The game can be seen live on suathletics.com as part of Orange All Access and heard live for FREE on suathletics.com with Brian Higgins calling the action. Fans in the Syracuse can also listen to the contest live on WJPZ 89.1 FM. Live stats are also available on suathletics.com.

The Orange has lost its last seven games, including its last three home contests, and is coming off a 98-50 loss at No. 17/16 Louisville on Feb. 10. Rutgers has one five of its last six games, including a 55-49 victory against West Virginia on Feb. 11. The Scarlet Knights are just 3-5 in road contests. The Syracuse women’s basketball team will host “National Girls and Women in Sports Day” as part of the game.

BEST SYRACUSE FRESHMAN EVER???

Freshman sensation Nicole Michael posted a team-high 23 points to go along with seven rebounds, a game-best three steals and one block at No. 17/16 Louisville 98-50. Michael’s 23-point performance is the ninth time that the rookie has eclipsed the 20-point plateau and the second consecutive game. Her nine 20-point games rank tied for fifth among other BIG EAST players. Michael connected on 7-of-17 shots (.412), including a career-best three 3-point baskets. Michael raised her season total to 406 points, becoming the 14th player in school history to record 400 points in a single-season. She also moved into a tie for second for points by a freshman. Marva Cook recorded 406 points during the 1979-80 season. Michael currently leads the Orange in points (16.9), rebounds (8.3) and free-throw percentage, making 125 of her 177 attempts (.706). She is second in steals (1.4) and field-goal percentage, making 42.9 percent (133-310) of her attempts and third in assists (1.6). She has led Syracuse in scoring 14 times, rebounding 13 times, steals 10 times, blocks six times and assists once. Michael is sixth overall and first for freshman in the BIG EAST (all games) in points, an average which is also 72nd in the country. She is also seventh overall and second for freshman in rebounding in the conference (all games), an average which is also good for 88th in the nation. She is fourth overall and first for freshman in defensive rebounds (all games) at 5.96. In BIG EAST games only, Michael is 14th in free throw percentage making 68 of her 86 attempts (.791).

MOVING UP

Junior Vaida Sipaviciute added 10 points, four rebounds, three blocks and an assist for the Orange at No. 17/16 Louisville. Sipaviciute raised her career total to 974 points, passing Tonya Hendrix for 16th in school history. Hendrix posted 972 points from 1987 to 1990. Sipaviciute also moved into a tie for third with 171 career blocks. She tied Martha Mogish, who registered 171 career blocks from 1978 to 1981. She is first on the team in blocks (1.9), field-goal percentage, making 46.4 percent (129-278) of her attempts. She is second in points (13.4) and free-throw percentage, making 61 of her 87 her attempts (.701) her chances. She is also third in rebounding (5.8). Sipaviciute has led the Orange in blocks 19 times, scoring six times, rebounding four times, steals twice and assists once. She has scored in double-figures in 21 of SU’s 24 games, including seven consecutive. The junior is fifth in the BIG EAST (all games) and 47th in the nation in blocks. Sipaviciute is also18th in the BIG EAST (all games) in scoring. In BIG EAST games only, she is 15th in minutes played (34.09).

SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

The No. 23/23 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (15-7, 8-3 BIG EAST) came-from-behind to beat West Virginia 55-49 on Feb. 11. Junior guard Essence Carson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore center Kia Vaughn added 10 points and seven rebounds. The Scarlet Knights, who were trailing 30-23 with 14:20 left in the game, went on a 21-4 run. Freshman guard Epiphanny Prince was scoreless in the first half for the second straight game, but hit four 3-pointers in the second half to cap the run and put the Scarlet Knights up 44-35. Rutgers shot 1-of-7 from 3-point range in the first half but went 6-of-12 in the second half. The Scarlet Knights shot 40.4 percent (19-of-47) from the field and were 10-of-14 from the foul line. RU held a 32-27 rebounding advantage.

Epiphanny leads the way for the Scarlet Knights with a team-high 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, a team-best 3.4 assists and a team-high 2.7 steals. Kia Vaughn has added 13.4 points, a team-best 9.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.0 blocks. Essence Carson has contributed 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. Matee Ajavon is averaging 8.8 points and 2.8 rebounds and Brittany Ray has donated 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.

C. Vivian Stringer (245-123 (.666)) is in his 12th season as head coach of the Scarlet Knights women’s basketball team RU is Rutgers is No. 23 in the Associated Press and No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. With the victory over WVU, Rutgers posted its 10th win at home this season. The Scarlet Knights have recorded 10 or more home triumphs each of the past five seasons. Junior guard Matee Ajavon is just five points shy of joining RU’s 1,000 point club. She will become the 25th entry. Prince is shooting 12-of-19 (63.3 percent) from 3-point range in the past four games. Carson has paced the team in the scoring category in six of the past eight games after accomplishing the feat in five of the first 14 games. RU dropped a 60-50 decision to Connecticut on Feb. 6. Vaughn tallied 16 points and eight rebounds

THE SYRACUSE-RUTGERS SERIES

Rutgers owns a 27-3 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams. The Scarlet Knights have won the last four consecutive pairing and hold a 14-2 record in BIG EAST regular-season matchups since they joined the league in 1995-96. SU’s last win against the Rutgers came on Jan. 14, 2004, 59-57, in overtime. In that game, former SU standout Julie McBride hit a game-tying 3-pointer with six seconds remaining to force overtime. She also tallied five of SU’s eight points in the extra session and finished the game with 25 points. The Orange is 3-10 all-time against Rutgers at home, but has never faced the Scarlet Knight in the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse University Athletics

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