Syracuse University
Canisius
SU Owns Canisius in First Postseason Win
3/18/2009 9:22:29 PM | Women's Basketball
Syracuse 90, Canisius 65
Student-Athlete Postgame Quotes
Coach Hillsman Postgame Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior guard Chandrea Jones attained her club-best 13th double-double of the season with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds in Syracuse's first postseason victory in program history against Canisius, 90-65, on Wednesday night in the Carrier Dome. The Orange had four players tally double digits in an effort to boost SU to the next round of the Women's NIT Tournament. Syracuse improves to 17-14 with the win, while Canisius ends its season with a 24-9 mark.
Syracuse's 90 points was the second highest aggregate this year after the Orange hung 93 points on Niagara on Dec. 14, 2008. The Orange eclipsed a season high in field goal percentage by converting half of its attempts (34-68), including a team-best 47.6 percent (10-21) clip from behind the arc.
Jones, who was Syracuse's sixth player to be named to the All-BIG EAST Conference First Team, is now just three points shy of arriving at the 1,000-point plateau after her 9-of-19 (.474 percent) performance from the floor. The senior also added five assists and two steals.
Sophomore guard Erica Morrow had strong first half and finished with 25 points, four assists, two swipes and three rebounds in SU's first postseason victory.
Sophomore guard Tasha Harris matched a career-best with 10 points, tying a season-high with two trifectas (Feb. 24, 2009 at Notre Dame) and dished out a game-best six assists. Harris also equaled a season-high with three steals (Nov. 16, 2008 at Maryland Eastern Shore) in the triumph. Junior forward Juanita Ward rounded out SU's double-digit scorers with 10 points. Freshman guard Tyler Ash tied a career-high with eight points in the victorious effort.
Syracuse dominated in every major category, including outscoring the Golden Griffins in the paint (28-14) and fast break points (17-5).
The Orange lurched out to an early 8-4 lead in the first four and a half, making four of its first five shots. SU's defense held the Golden Griffins to an 18.2 clip (2-11) from the field within that interval.
CC's Micayla Drysdale snapped a scoreless draught of 4:13 with a deep ball and paired it with another 20 seconds later to give the Griffs their first lead of the game, 10-8, with 12:48 to play.
The score moved out to 16-12 with 10:05 left in the first half after a 6-0 run in favor of Syracuse. Brittane Russell buried a three at 9:51 to cut it to one, 16-15, but the Orange charged out to a 10-2 run, 26-17, to take charge of the first half with 6:28 remaining in the first half.
Amando Cavo ceased the SU run with her first 3-pointer of the contest, but Cavo's deep ball elicited an 11-2 run for the Orange for a 15-point advantage, 37-22, with 3:25 to play in the first half.
Syracuse and Canisius played to an even 7-7 count to close out the half as the Orange maintained its comfortable lead heading into the break, 44-29. SU's 51.4 rate (19-37) from the floor routed Canisius' 30.6 percent line in the first 20 minutes. The Orange also outrebounded the Griffs, 27-18, in the first half.
The Orange preserved its lead, 51-37, but Canisius outscored SU, 8-7, after the first three and a half minutes unfolded. Morrow stayed hot from the first half and accounted for all seven Orange points.
Both teams tallied nine points to bring the count to 60-46, but the Orange sustained its efficient shooting and outhustled Canisius for a 15-11 run to go ahead by 18, 75-57, with 7:07 on the clock. Jones led the Orange in that stretch with seven points.
Syracuse dominated down the stretch with a 15-8 run in its favor to settle the score, 90-65.
With SU's first postseason victory, the Orange earned a date with Bowling Green for the second round of the Women's NIT on Sunday, March 22. The game will be in Bowling Green, Ohio at 2 p.m.
