Orange All Over Niagara in 39-Point Win on Sunday

Sunday, December 14

Carrier Dome

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

Niagara

Junior forward Juanita Ward continues to play an intergral role in Syracuse's 8-2 start. The third-year transfer led the Orange with 20 points on Sunday afternoon in a 39-point victory against Niagara.

Orange All Over Niagara in 39-Point Win on Sunday

12/14/2008 3:11:39 PM | Women's Basketball

Syracuse 93, Niagara 54

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse forced a season-high 31 turnovers in a 93-54 victory against Niagara at the Carrier Dome on Sunday afternoon to remain undefeated in the fourth installation of a five-game homestand. The Orange’s 93 points is a season-high thus far.

Junior forward Juanita Ward tallied a game-high 20 points and added nine rebounds in the 39-point victory. Defensively, Ward recorded a career-best five steals, also a game-high. Junior forward Nicole Michael scored a season-best 18 points and collected nine boards. Sophomore guard Erica Morrow registered 15 points, five rebounds and three steals while senior Chandrea Jones scored eight points along with three steals and five caroms.

Freshman guard Tyler Ash exhibited her skills with career-high numbers on Sunday. Ash led all participants with 10 rebounds as well as representing eight Orange points, both career-bests. The Liverpool, N.Y. native also made her first two free throws of the season.

Sophomore guard Marisa Gobuty chipped in with six points and two assists while senior forward Lina Lisnere recorded her first field goal in four contests. Lisnere also tacked on two steals.

Freshman guard Lynnae Lampkins made her debut for the Orange. Lampkins displayed her playmaking abilities by registering a game-high six assists. Lampkins also recorded two steals and one board in her first game for Syracuse.

Syracuse manhandled the Purple Eagles in numerous categories, but the one figure that stood out the most is points-off-turnovers. In forcing a season-best 31 turnovers, Syracuse was able to take advantage of NU’s errors by converting 49 points in transition. The Orange also put up big numbers in the paint and on the fast-break by outscoring Niagara, 44-22 and 22-2, respectively.

Niagara’s Ali Morris broke the three-minute scoreless draught with an easy lay-in, but the Orange poured it on in the next sequence of plays.

Syracuse rattled off 16 consecutive points before the Purple Eagles called for a timeout. Ward initiated the scoring by picking off a mid-court pass and driving in for two. Michael and Morrow accounted for six and eight points, respectively, amidst the scoring spell.

Morris stopped the bleeding with a long-range three, but that didn’t stop the Orange's momentum. Syracuse maintained its torrent pace in a 14-8 run highlighted by back-to-back three-point plays from Ash and Morrow to stay ahead, 30-13, with just under eight minutes left in the first half.

Niagara cut SU’s deficit to 13 points with three minutes to go, 35-22, but the Orange beefed up its buffer to 16 points, 44-28, before closing out the first half. Michael dominated the post, contributing six points in the last few minutes while Harris drained SU’s second trifecta of the half.

Syracuse’s defensive pressure and transition game keyed the Orange to its 16-point advantage at the half. Syracuse converted 26 points off turnovers while the Purple Eagles only managed one field goal in the same category. SU forced 15 miscues in the first 20 minutes.

Michael scored a first-half high 13 points and pulled in five rebounds.

While Syracuse held the Purple Eagles scoreless for the first five minutes of the second half, the Orange offense put together 15 points to take a commanding 31-point lead, 59-28. Michael sparked the first points of the second stanza on a heads-up steal and the lay-in. Harris canned her second three-ball coupled with four consecutive points from Morrow to energize the Orange.

Morris enervated Syracuse with a couple 3-pointers, as Niagara ran off a quick 10-2 run of its own. Ward converted Syracuse’s next eight points to preserve SU's large lead, 69-40, with 12 minutes to play.

Over the course of the next five minutes, Jones spouted off a six-point run of her own in the middle of two Purple Eagles’ field goals to stay ahead by 32, 75-42. Grace Cunningham and Rachel Folino paired up for five points, but Berry successfully converted two buckets in the low post to cancel out NU’s efforts, 79-47.

The Orange polished off the Purple Eagles in a free-throw contest at the end to set the 93-54 final. Syracuse outscored Niagara 14-7 in the final four minutes of the game.

The Orange (8-2) revisits the Carrier Dome hardwood for the final leg of the five-game homestand on Sunday, December 21st at 4 p.m. when Syracuse hosts Ohio University. Tickets can be purchased online at SUathletics.com, by phone at 1-800-DomeTix or in person at the Carrier Dome box office during regular business hours.