2008 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout Title on the Line in Anchorage
11/26/2008 1:54:28 PM | Women's Basketball
Tournament Central | Game Notes | Listen
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Following another leading scoring effort by sophomore guard Erica Morrow, Syracuse held off Jackson State in the opening game of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout on Tuesday, November 25, by a final score of 85-74. Morrow went 9-of-12 from the floor, including a season-high five 3-pointers. Four Orange tallied double-digit points against the Tigers and senior guard Chandrea Jones polished the glass for a game-high nine rebounds.
Once again, the Syracuse transition game lifted the Orange past its opponent. SU countered on 10 fast break points to Jackson State's four. Inside, the Orange capitalized on 14 second chance points while JSU only put down nine.
Multifaceted Morrow
Morrow has led the Orange in scoring the last three games. The sophomore guard put up 24 points in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout. In the previous two games, her totals of 25 and 27 were also team-highs. Head coach Quentin Hillsman is using his multitalented weapon as much as possible. Morrow leads the club, logging 35.8 minutes per game, while grabbing 4.8 rebounds per contest. She is also getting it done on the defensive end, too. She is tied for an SU-best 14 steals and has totaled 3.0 assists per game. Morrow's 21 points per game is second for Syracuse.
Jones the Points Producer
Jones leads the Orange with 21.8 points per game, aided by her career-high of 33 points at Siena to start of the season. The senior guard has exuded accuracy behind the arc, draining nine of 20 3-pointers for SU this season. Last week's impressive performance against Ohio State and Portland State led to her getting named to the the first honor roll of the 2008-09 BIG EAST women's basketball season.
Watch Out for Ward on the Boards
Junior forward Juanita Ward has dominated as both an offensive and defensive rebounding machine. Ward's total rebounding standard per game is 11.6. Against Jackson State on Tuesday night, Ward collected eight more rebounds, extending her season total to 58, 14 more than the next player on the team. The junior transfer is averaging on the 5.2 boards on the offensive side and 6.4 rebounds on the defensive glass. Ward is also third on the team in scoring with 12.8 points per game. Against Jackson State, Ward drained a game and career-high 9-of-11 free throws. Ward's 82 percent success rate at the charity stripe played a huge role in SU's domination at the line. Syracuse converted 81.5 percent of its free throws to aid in the victory while the Tigers only made 69.2 percent.
Harris Hones-In
Sophomore guard Tasha Harris has been one of Syracuse's most sure-handed shooters through the first five games. Harris is averaging 6.0 points per game, but her stability on the free throw line has been played a pivotal part on Syracuse's great start. Harris has connected on a club-best 90 percent of her free throws. Harris has also played an integral part in Hillsman's offense, dishing out 3.2 assists per game, also a team-high.
Rounding Out the Orange
Senior forward Lina Lisnere and sophomore guard Marissa Gobuty each dropped a season-best seven points again Jackson State. Freshman guard Tyler Ash started in her second consecutive game for the Orange in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout. Ash recorded one steal, one assist and collected three boards on the defensive floor. Freshman forward Troya Berry was utilized a season-high 20 minutes in the triumph against Jackson State. Berry converted all four free throws and picked up three defensive boards. Despite not playing in the last two decisions following an injury at Ohio State, junior forward Nicole Michael is still fourth on the team with 8.7 points per game. She is averaging 10.0 rebounds, second on the team, and started in the previous three games in which she played in. Junior forward Vionca Murray, Syracuse's most accurate shooter from the floor (61.1 percent), is fifth on the team with 6.5 points per game. Redshirt freshman Chanieka Williams played five minutes in the win against the Tigers.
Taking Aim at Alaska-Anchorage
Last night, the two-time defending Great Alaska Shootout Champions, Alaska-Anchorage, dismantled Cal-State Northridge, 72-44, in its first round contest. The No.9 Seawolves (Division II) were led by Nicci Miller's 19 points and eight rebounds. Both Elisha Harris and Kiki Taylor dumped in 10 points apiece. Alaska-Anchorage has rattled off five straight Shootout victories.
Syracuse and host Alaska-Anchorage tangle in the championship bout of the 2008 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout on Wednesday, November 26 at 9 p.m. EST (5 p.m. AST).
