Syracuse University
University of New Hampshire
Orange Remains Unbeaten Against UNH
12/30/2009 9:25:14 PM | Women's Basketball
Box Score | Coach Hillsman Quotes | Player Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The rv/23 Syracuse women's basketball team remained unblemished with its 58-48 defeat of New Hampshire (5-7) on Wednesday evening inside Manley Field House. It marks the first time in school history that the Orange has started a season 12-0, while matching the program's longest winning streak from the 2007-08 season. SU is the only school in the country to have both its men (13-0) and women (12-0) unblemished.
Nine players scored for Syracuse, including two in double-digits. Freshman center Kayla Alexander set the pace for the Orange with 17 points and career-best 13 rebounds, for her first career double-double, while adding a game-high nine offensive boards. It is the second consecutive game the Orange has had a freshman record a double-double. Senior guard Nicole Michael backed up Alexander with 12 points and six boards.
Syracuse outrebounded the Wildcats, 57-34, and held an impressive 32-14 advantage on offensive glass. The Orange also dominated in all scoring categories, including a 32-14 lead in points in the paint and 24-2 in second chance points.
The Orange came out slow and it wasn't until the 16:48 mark that the first points went on the board when Michael hit a 3-pointer to give Syracuse the early lead. The Orange held the Wildcats scoreless for eight minutes and continued to pull ahead, increasing its lead to 18, 31-13, with a jumper by senior forward Juanita Ward with 1:43 remaining in the half. However, UNH responded and closed out the half with back-to-back 3-pointers to make the score 31-19 going into the locker room.
The Wildcats steadily narrowed the margin to four, 41-37, with 12:54 left in the game, but Alexander kept the game in Syracuse's control, accounting for 14 of SU's first 17 points in the second half. The Wildcats brought it within six, 48-42, but the Orange continued to pull away. The two teams exchanged a pair of free throws to end the game and produce the final score, 58-48.
The Orange begins its BIG EAST slate when it returns to the Carrier Dome to host Georgetown on Saturday, January 2 at 5 p.m. Fans with a ticket to the men's game versus Pittsburgh get into the women's game for FREE.
