Overtime Thriller Opens Up Women's Hoops Season at the Carrier Dome

Saturday, November 22

Carrier Dome

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

Portland State

Sophomore Erica Morrow dropped a career-best 27 points in Syracuse's first home victory of the season.

Overtime Thriller Opens Up Women's Hoops Season at the Carrier Dome

11/22/2008 3:41:16 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score | Player Quotes | Coach Hillman's Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse treated those in attendance to a thrilling overtime victory against Portland State, 82-77, in the 2008-09 home opener led by sophomore guard Erica Morrow’s career-best 27 point performance.

Morrow logged another career-high with 41 minutes. Senior guard Chandrea Jones recorded her second double-double of the season with 24 points and a season-high 13 boards. Junior forward Juanita Ward continued her impressive play, totaling 14 points and nine boards in the victory. Freshman forward Troya Berry knocked down two career-highs with seven points and six rebounds while sophomore guard Marisa Gobuty added a season-best four points.

Syracuse’s inside presence chipped away at the Vikings’ defense the entire game, dominating down low with 52 points inside the paint to PSU’s 14. The Orange also showed off its physical side, churning out 12 points off the fast break to the Vikings’ four. SU’s offensive rebounding led to 24 second chance points whereas Portland State was able to manage only 13.

Portland State took the early 2-0 lead from a Kelsey Kahle lay-up, but Morrow drained Syracuse’s second possession, blazing through the lane for the left-handed bucket.

Portland commanded the early portion of the first half with a 14-4 run highlighted by two Katia Hadj-Hamou three-pointers. Jones rattled off four consecutive Syracuse points to lessen the Vikings’ grip, 20-14, but the Vikings stormed back with eight points in a row, including two behind the arc from Kelly Marchant and Hadj-Hamou. Morrow broke up Portland’s party by battling under the glass on senior forward Lina Lisnere’s second free-throw and came away with the ball to get some momentum back, 28-17.

Head coach Quentin Hillsman called for a timeout at 7:39 of the first half, yielding an outbreak of eight straight points for SU. Ward powered through the lane for a three-point play and came back on the next possession with Syracuse’s first three-pointer of the contest. Ward then thieved PSU’s next possession and lobbed a pass to a wide-open Morrow to crawl within six, 33-27.

Portland State responded with two buckets, but Jones single-handedly catapulted the Orange to within five points, 37-32, by tallying five straight points. Gobuty applied more pressure with a crafty steal and dished out a pass to Morrow for the open two, 37-34.

Portland spouted off an 8-3 run to push its lead back to 10 points before the conclusion of the opening half, 45-34.

The Vikings’ seven three-pointers to SU’s one proved to be the difference in the first half.

Jones chalked up SU’s first two field goals of the second half. Following a defensive stance, Ward connected with a wide-open Gobuty on the near-side of the court where she converted the lay-up after getting hammered underneath the glass. On SU’s next possession, Jones followed up her own rebound for her second straight field goal to bring the Orange to within one, 47-46.

Portland State stayed hot from behind the arc, draining two more from long distance to stir up a 7-2 run to extend the advantage back to six, 54-48.

Following a Vikings’ timeout, Kelsey Kahle and Faucher teamed up for five uninterrupted points, coercing Hillsman to rally his team that was facing a 59-48 deficit with 10:37 to play.

The Orange came out of the chute with a 9-3 charge, initiated by seven straight points from the hands of Morrow. Syracuse forced a couple turnovers at midcourt to get within six, 62-57.

Faucher retorted with a jumper, but Morrow continued on her torrent pace by converting the three-point play after getting fouled on a breakaway. Portland and SU traded two-point plays as the Orange lagged by four, 66-62, with 3:45 remaining.

Morrow got the crowd on its feet with a long-range three, breaking the 90 second field goal draught to bring Syracuse back to within one, 69-68. Portland State hailed for a timeout, but the Orange made a big defensive stop after the break, giving way to another Morrow bucket for the Orange’s first lead since 17:49 of the first half, 70-69. Faucher snatched the lead back on an eight foot jumper, 71-70, giving Syracuse possession with 27.4 seconds left on the clock.

Jones was sent to the charity stripe with 5.8 remaining and knocked down the front end to send the game to an extra session, 71-71.

The Orange attack proved to be too much for its cross-country opponent in overtime. Sophomore guard Tasha Harris gave the Vikings a dose of their own medicine with a game-clinching three pointer to wrap up SU’s third win of the season, 82-77.

Syracuse flies to the Final Frontier to take part in the Great Alaska shootout in Anchorage. The Orange's first round game will tip on Tuesday, November 25, at midnight EST against Jackson State.