Tuesday, December 2
Carrier Dome
7 p.m.
Syracuse University
69
vs
60
Lehigh
Sophomore guard Erica Morrow's steady hand from behind the line provided the punch the Orange needed to get by Lehigh, 69-60. Morrow hit four three-balls in the first half, five overall.
Orange Clips Mountain Hawks' Wings in Sixth Victory of the Season, 69-60
12/2/2008 9:16:55 PM | Women's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Four Syracuse players posted double-figures in a 69-60 victory versus Patriot League member Lehigh on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome for the Orange’s sixth victory of the season.
Senior forward Chandrea Jones recorded 18 points and nine rebounds to lead all participants in both categories by way of a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. Jones’ impressive performance from the line was a career-best. Sophomore guard Erica Morrow matched a season-high with five 3-pointers, including four in the first half, totaling 15 points, overall. Morrow added two boards, two dimes and two steals in the triumph. Junior forward Nicole Michael scored a season-best 15 points, including a 10-point rush in the second half to cinch the contest. Michael also added a game-high two blocks. Junior forward Juanita Ward was SU’s final double-digit scorer with 10, mixing in six boards and one block.
Junior forward Vionca Murray added six points, freshman forward Troya Berry scored three and freshman guard Tyler Ash drained one field goal.
Syracuse dictated the game through 87.0 percent free throw shooting in addition to its domination in the paint. The Orange crushed Lehigh down low, 28-16, along with 18 second chance points to the Mountain Hawks six.
Michael was hacked early under the glass and picked up a couple of free points from the line to start off the Syracuse scoring. Morrow made her 17th and 18th 3-pointers of the season from the top of the key. In between the Morrow 3-pointers Michael and Berry added four points to give SU an early12-0 advantage at the 16:43 mark of the first half.
After a timeout by Lehigh, the Mountain Hawks tallied a quick five points, but Morrow subdued the resurgence with her third trey within the first six minutes of play to keep SU ahead, 15-5.
Ward and Kristen Dalton traded four points on respective possessions, but Ash kissed the glass from eight feet out to nudge the advantage to 12 points, 21-9.
The Orange ran off two more field goals before Alexa Williams posted back-to-back buckets to cut the deficit to single digits, 24-15. Morrow responded with her fourth three-ball of the first half to highlight the evenly-paced four-minute stretch, 29-19.
Syracuse committed two consecutive offensive fouls, enabling the Mountain Hawks to creep within six, 29-23, but after Ward and Jones doubled up for a pair of field goals, Murray hauled in a nifty feed over the top from Harris, giving the Orange back a double-digit edge, 35-25, with 3:19 to go in the half.
In the waning minutes, Lehigh’s Alex Ross swished a 3-pointer from the corner to head off the 5-4 run in the Mountain Hawks favor before the first 20 came to a halt.
Syracuse held a nine-point, 39-30, lead at the half, featuring Morrow’s game-leading 12 points, going 4-of-5 from behind the line.
Lehigh charged out of the gates in the second half, knocking on Syracuse’s door within four points, 39-35, but Jones accounted for the next six points in a row. The final field goal was highlighted by Morrow’s heads-up steal in the middle of the lane who then lobbed a half-court pass to a wide open Jones.
Ross and Morrow traded bombs from downtown, but the Mountain Hawks coerced head coach Quentin Hillsman to hail for a timeout after Lehigh rattled off five straight points to bring the score to within five, 48-43, five minutes into the second session.
Syracuse reasserted itself with a 12-point lead, 57-45, thanks to Michael’s 10-point flood over Lehigh in the mid portion of the second half. Michael started off her stretch with a three-point play and continued to pour it on through the nine-minute mark with three more conversions and a free throw.
Lehigh mustered together a 12-7 run, holding the Orange without a field goal for almost a 10-minute interlude. Jones maintained her composure, hitting all six of her free throws in that span, to hold onto a seven-point lead, 64-57, with under four minutes to play.
The Orange tightened up its defense in the last couple possessions, forcing the visitors to turn the ball over, leading to a few more Syracuse points to cement the victory, 69-60.
The Orange returns to the Carrier Dome on Saturday afternoon to entertain the Delaware State Hornets. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 pm.
Women's Lacrosse Postgame Press Conference vs. #7 Yale
Tuesday, March 17
Highlights | Syracuse vs. Yale
Tuesday, March 17
MLAX | Postgame Press Conference at Denver
Tuesday, March 17
Highlights | Syracuse vs. Denver
Tuesday, March 17
