Syracuse University
South Florida
SU Stopped Short against USF
2/8/2009 6:34:24 PM | Women's Basketball
Coach Hillsman Post-Game Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse women's basketball team (14-9, 3-7) suffered its fourth consecutive home setback in front of 1,600 to South Florida, 88-79, on Sunday afternoon at the Carrier Dome.
Junior forward #Nicole Michael# was one of two Orange to post a double-double on Sunday. Michael logged her third of the season with game-bests of 27 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Orange in scoring for the fourth time and rebounding the seventh time this season.
Senior guard Chandrea Jones' 21 points and 11 rebounds marked her team-best eighth double-double of the year.
Sophomore guard #Erica Morrow# finished up with nine points and six boards while junior forward Vionca Murray scored seven and corralled three rebounds.
Syracuse held the lead once at 12:56 of the second half, 49-48, but USF's post play and transition game were too much for SU. The Bulls' tallied 24 fast break points to Syracuse's nine and notched 38 points in the paint to the Orange's 22. South Florida managed to swipe 11 possessions for Syracuse, leading to 22 points off of turnovers.
At 15:33, Michael nailed Syracuse's first trifecta from the top of the key to draw the score even at 7-7 after USF crept out to a 4-0 lead. Janae Stokes matched Michael from downtown to snag the early three-point edge with 14:30 to go in the first half.
The Bulls' defense held the Orange without a field goal for 6:56 before Morrow dialed up SU's second 3-ball at the 8:29 mark, but USF managed to rack up an eight-point advantage, 23-15, with 7:53 remaining in the first half.
South Florida managed to hang an 11-point cushion on SU three times in the later part of the first session, but from the 6:09 mark, Syracuse rattled off a 17-6 run to close out the half with an even count, 38-38.
The Orange defense curtailed USF's first-half attack, not allowing the Bulls a field goal for the final 3:29. USF offered up 17 3-pointers in the first half, connecting on only four of them while the Orange tossed in 17-of-22 (77.3) from the line. South Florida managed only eight free tries, putting away six.
The Bulls charged out with a 6-0 run to commence the second half before Jones kissed the glass to halt USF's spurt. Two Jazmine Sepulveda free throws were answered by Michael's third trey of the game to cut South Florida's lead in half, 46-43. with 15:30 to go.
A 6-2 Orange spark, capped by freshman Tyler Ash's eight-foot bunny, provided Syracuse with its first lead of the game, 49-48, at 12:56 of the second half. The Bulls responded with a couple quick baskets to snatch back the lead, 52-49, but Jones sewed it back up with her first make from behind the arc, 52-52.
The lead changed over for the third time after Shantia Grace swished consecutive 3-pointers to put USF back up six, 60-54, but Syracuse continued to earn its free throws as the Orange knocked down five straight to get back within one, 60-59, with 7:52 remaining.
The Bulls built up their largest lead of the game, 85-73, with only 38 seconds left as USF went 9-of-9 from the floor in the final seven minute stretch. Sophomore guard Tasha Harris made the Bulls sweat a little with two 3-pointers seven seconds apart to cut it down to six, 85-79, with 26 ticks remaining, but Syracuse had to foul in the waning moments and the Bulls would not relinquish the lead for an 88-79 victory.
The Orange has the next six days off before a date with St. John's on Valentine's Day in Jamaica; N.Y. Saturday's tip is scheduled for 2 pm.
