Orange Hosts No. 23/21 Louisville on Senior Day

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The Syracuse University women’s basketball team (9-18, 3-11 BIG EAST) seeks revenge when the Orange hosts the No. 23/21 Louisville Cardinal (23-5, 9-5 BIG EAST) on Senior Day on Sat., Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. in the friendly confines of 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. SU is coming off a 67-58 loss to DePaul at home on Feb. 20.

SENIOR DAY

The Syracuse women’s basketball program is honoring its two seniors Tracy Harbut and Ashley McMillen for their commitment to SU.

Harbut played three very successful years before being sidelined this season with an injury. She averaged 11.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 2005-06 and is the last player to record the rare point-assist double-double. Harbut was ranked seventh in the BIG EAST in assists per game and free-throw percentage (.745) in 2005-06 and her 36.6 minutes per game ranked sixth on SU’s single-season list. She earned 45 starts in 68 career games and will leave SU with more than 450 points, 275 rebounds and 175 assists.

McMillen has been a key member of the Orange during her two seasons at Syracuse. She has played in 37 games with five starts and will end her career with more than 180 points and 50 rebounds. McMillen has scored 162 of her 181 points from way behind the 3-point line. Off the court she is athree-time Dean’s List honoree, a two time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll member and a BIG EAST Academic All-Star.

MICHAEL NAMED BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE WEKK

Freshman sensation Nicole Michael recorded her eighth double-double of her young career and her second consecutive with a 15-point, 10-rebound performance against DePaul on Feb. 20. She also had three assists and two steals against the Blue Demons. With her 15 points, Michael raised her season total to 453 points, which is tied for ninth in school history. Michael earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week accolades for the fourth time in her rookie season after averaging 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in Syracuse’s two games last week versus No. 23/23 Rutgers on Feb.14 and at Georgetown on Feb. 17. Michael’s fourth honor is the most by a Syracuse freshman.

Michael scored 13 points in Syracuse’s opening game of the weekend against the Scarlet Knights. She scored 19 points and pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds in SU’s 65-58 victory against the Hoyas. Her 17 rebounds are the most by an SU freshman since Felisha Legette also recorded 17 boards against Connecticut in 1985. Michael is averaging a team-leading 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game for the Orange in 2006-07.

Her 16.8 points rank seventh in the BIG EAST while her 8.5 rebounds is the sixth-best mark in the conference. Michael is first among freshman in the conference in scoring and second in rebounding. On pace to record the most points in a single season by a Syracuse player, Michael currently sits second among freshman for scoring in school history. Michael has totaled 453 points, which is second only to Martha Mogish’s 469 points during the 1977-78 season.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

Then No. 23/21 Louisville Cardinal (23-5, 9-5 BIG EAST) defeated St. John’s 91-62 at home on Feb. 20. Sophomore forward Angel McCoughtry scored 21 points, 17 in the second half, and grabbed 14 rebounds. Senior guard Helen Johnson, in only her second game back after missing 10, scored 21 points off the bench. Senior center Jazz Covington added 17 points, and junior guard Patrika Barlow scored nine points and dealt out 11 assists. Louisville trailed 41-40 early in the second half but outscored the Red Storm 30-12 to lead 71-52 with 7:56 remaining. Louisville forced the Red Storm into 23 turnovers, converting those into 28 points. UofL shot 48.7 percent (37-76) and was just 9-of-18 (.500) from the free throw line.

Angel McCoughtry leads the way for the Cardinals with a team-high 22.1 points, a team-best 11.1 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 steals. Jazz Covington has added 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds. Helen Johnson has contributed 9.9 points and 2.4 assists. Yuliya Tokova is averaging 8.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-best 1.9 blocks and Chauntise Wright has donated 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Tom Collen, (84-31 (.730)) is in his third season as head coach of the Cardinals women’s basketball team. Louisville is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. UofL extended its home-win streak to 21 games. The Cardinals reached 20 wins in the month of January, and hit the plateau in just 22 games. Prior to this season, the 1994-95 team reached 20 wins in 25 games. Louisville became the first BIG EAST team to reach the 20-win mark. UofL lost for the third time in four games, a 65-54 defeat at No. 21/21 Marquette on Feb. 17. McCoughtry scored 19 of her 29 points in the first half.

THE SYRACUSE-LOUISVILLE SERIES

This marks the fifth time that Syracuse and Louisville have gone toe-to-toe on the hardwood. The first meeting between the two clubs came on Nov. 30, 1986. Orange great Felisha Legetta led SU to a 73-62 victory at Manley Field House, notching a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Cardinals won the second matchup, 90-73, on Jan. 3, 2006. Tracy Harbut netted a career-best 24 points in the meeting, but it wasn’t enough as Louisville had four scorers in double figures, including Missy Taylor, who led the club with 20 points. Louisville used a 22-3 run in the last 11:21 to defeat Syracuse, 64-48, in SU’s first trip to Freedom Hall on Sunday Feb. 12, 2006. Chauntise Wright scored a series-best 25 points in the Cardinal’s 98-50 win earlier this year in Freedom Hall.

Syracuse University Athletics

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