'Nova Up Next for Orange Hoopsters on Saturday

Game Notes | Watch/Listen Live | Live Stats

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange returns home to the Carrier Dome to host a resurgent Villanova team (12-8, 4-2) this Sat., Jan. 31 at 1 pm. The game can be seen live on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access. It can also be heard live on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access, WTLA AM 1200 and WJPZ FM 89. Live stats will be available on SUathletics.com.

Every fan that comes to the game will receive four Syracuse women’s basketball trading cards. Following the contest, fans will also have to opportunity to get their set of trading cards signed by the players.

The Syracuse women's basketball team (14-6, 3-4) returned to its winning ways with a 66-55 road victory at Marquette on Jan. 27. The Orange's 11-point victory against the Golden Eagles marked the second-largest margin of victory versus a BIG EAST opponent this season (vs. No. 17/16 Rutgers on Jan. 6, 68-54) and the second conference-road triumph for SU this year.

Next Up: 'Nova

Villanova travels to Central New York, having won its two previous league matchups, including a home win against No. 17/13 Notre Dame on Jan. 24, 55-48. The Wildcats three other BIG EAST conquests came with two wins against Providence, 57-54 and 64-48, and at home against West Virginia, 54-52. Villanova assembled an 8-6 non-conference record. Last year, the Wildcats finished 12th in the BIG EAST with a 5-11 conference record, but Villanova returned nine letterwinners to this year's squad.

Senior forward Laura Kurz has been the catalyst for the Wildcats' offense, leading the club with 18.1 points per game, ranking her the 34th most efficient scorer in the country. Kurz has compiled a team-best 1.6 blocks per game and also directs the rebounding efforts with 7.6 per contest. Senior guard Siobhan O'Connor has made 85.2 percent (52-61) of her attempts from the stripe, putting her 44th in the country. Junior guard Maria Getty represents the Wildcats' deep threat, draining a club-high 31 treys this season.

Syracuse trails Villanova in the overall series record, 35-14. The Orange has come away with two consecutive victories against the Wildcats during the past two seasons, 73-60 and 62-51. A victory for Syracuse on Saturday would even out the overall record in the Salt City, 11-11.

Last Time against Villanova

Chandrea Jones' 25 points and 10 rebounds guaranteed the Orange a final mark above .500 with a 73-60 victory against the Wildcats at the Pavilion. Nicole Michael also recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The Orange was looking at a two-point deficit with 6:13 remaining in the contest, but Jones' free throw conversion triggered a 19-4 run that helped close out the win. SU made 10 free tosses down the stretch, finishing with a 70.6 percent rate (24-34) from the line.

The Wildcats were led by Laura Kurz, who had 19 points, while Stacie Whitman added 13 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

In SU's Win at Marquette…

Senior guard Chandrea Jones was SU's leading point-scorer for the third consecutive game at Marquette, recording her second straight double-double, sixth of the season, with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior forward Nicole Michael scored 14 points in the first half, going 6-of-9 from the floor within that stretch. She finished with 18 points total. Michael also posted season-bests with two 3-pointers and three assists, in addition to registering two blocks and two steals.

Sophomore guard Tasha Harris knocked down her 13th trifecta of the season, snapping a four-game scoreless streak, and handed out five assists. Sophomore guard Erica Morrow totaled only two points, but logged a season-best six assists in the victory at the Al McGuire Center. Junior forward Juanita Ward accounted for eight points and seven boards.

Syracuse University Athletics

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