Syracuse University
Old Dominion University
Second-Half Surge Ignites 65-32 Rout
11/26/2009 10:39:47 PM | Women's Basketball
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CANCUN, Mexico – The Orange women's basketball team gave up just 11 second-half points in its 65-32 rout of Old Dominion in its first game in the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic on Thanksgiving Day. The 11 points allowed tied an ODU record low for points in a half. Syracuse improves to 5-0 on the season for the first time since 2004-05.
Senior forward Nicole Michael led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds, while junior guard Erica Morrow added 16 points. Senior forward Juanita Ward pulled down a season-high 10 boards.
“We wanted to try to get (Erica Morrow) and (Nicole Michael) going together,” said head coach Quentin Hillsman. “I think we did a good job of doing that. We wanted to make sure we kept the ball in our best players hands. I was very pleased with their effort. They wouldn't let us lose tonight.”
Syracuse, which is receiving votes in both national polls, jumped out to an early 11-4 lead to start the game. Old Dominion kept it within five, 13-8, when Jasmine Parker made a layup at the 14:29 mark, but that was as close as the Lady Monarchs could get as SU maintained the lead throughout the first half.
SU reached its largest lead of the half, 20-8, courtesy of a free throw by Morrow midway through the first half. The Orange remained scoreless for nearly five minutes until freshman center Kayla Alexander shot consecutive free throws from the line to stop the scoring drought. ODU attempted to fight back with a 6-0 run, but freshman guard Elashier Hall made a layup with 3:18 remaining to keep SU in control. Alexander hit another free throw with 0:00 left on the clock to settle the score 31-21 going into the locker room.
The Orange dominated in the second half, opening up with a 20-2 run within the first six minutes to make the score 51-23. SU held the Lady Monarchs to a mere 13.3 percent shooting in the second half, allowing the Orange to reach its largest lead of the game, 65-29, when sophomore guard Tyler Ash hit a jumper with less than two minutes left. ODU responded with a last-second 3-pointer, but it wasn't enough as the Orange prevailed, 65-32.
The Orange will conclude its play in Cancun when it plays Butler on Friday, November 27 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
