Syracuse University
Northeastern University
Orange Hosts Huskies in Season Opener
11/10/2010 8:40:32 PM | Women's Basketball
| Game One | ||
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vs. |  |
| 0-0 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST | 0-0 overall, 0-0 CAA | |
| Game Info | Friday, November 12 | 9:30 p.m. | |
| Location | Syracuse, N.Y. | Carrier Dome | |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Single Game $10 | Season Tickets $90 |
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| Watch | Orange All Access | |
| Listen | Orange All Access | ESPN 97.7 FM | |
| Game Information | Syracuse Game Notes | Northeastern Game Notes | |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse University women's basketball will open its 2010-11 campaign when it hosts Northeastern in the Carrier Dome on Friday, November 12 at 9:30 p.m. The contest is part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team, who faces Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. Fans with men's basketball tickets will have the opportunity to stay for the women's game free of charge.
The game can be heard live on SU's flagship station WTLA 1200 AM and 97.7 FM (WSGO 1440 AM and 100.1 FM in Oswego) or on Syracuse's student station WJPZ 89.1 FM. Live video and audio for every Orange game is available on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access.
Season Opening Success
The Orange is 26-13 (.667) all-time in season debuts, including a 65-45 victory last season against Fairleigh Dickinson at the Dome. This year's opener is only the third time in the past 18 seasons that SU has begun the year at home. Its the first time since the 1990-91/1991-92 seasons that Syracuse has opened a campaign at home in back-to-back years. Before the 2009-10 season, the only other time since 1991-92 that Syracuse opened a season at home was during the 2004-05 season - a 62-57 victory against Niagara.
Season Rewind
Syracuse welcomes back nine members of the 2009-10 that what 25 games, the most in a season since it began competing in the NCAA in 1981-82. The season ended in the quarterfinals of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Orange (25-11) won more than one postseason game for the first time in program history and has won three postseason contests through the past two seasons, making its third postseason appearance in four years under the direction of head coach Quentin Hillsman.
Streaking
SU has won 28 consecutive non-conference home games (22 in the Carrier Dome). Syracuse's last non-conference loss at home came on Dec. 22, 2006 against Canisius (56-43).
Scouting the Orange
Despite losing three starters, including All-BIG EAST first team selection Nicole Michael, the Orange welcomes back nine, along with an impact transfer and five solid freshmen. Senior guards Erica Morrow and Tasha Harris will lead the squad. Morrow was named to the preseason all-BIG EAST Honorable Mention squad and ranks third on the SU record lists in all-time 3-point field goals made (171), fourth in steals (2.2), sixth in scoring (13.7) and seventh in scoring (1,325). Harris ranks seventh in assists average (4.0) and tied for ninth in games started (97). The Orange also welcomes back a solid core of juniors in Tyler Ash, Troya Berry and Chanieka Williams as well as All-BIG EAST Freshman Team honorees Kayla Alexander and Carmen Tyson-Thomas.
Syracuse added two highly touted newcomers to its veteran-laded squad. Junior Iasia Hemingway and redshirt freshman Shakeya Leary join the mix in 2010-11. Hemingway scored 625 points and grabbed 297 rebounds in her two years at Georgia Tech. Leary was named to the New York Daily News first team as a junior and senior. She averaged 7.9 points, 9.5 rebounds in league play during her senior season.
The Orange welcomes four freshmen into the program. Rated as the eighth-best class by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, the group includes Rachel Coffey, Tiara Butler, Phylesha Bullard and La'Shay Taft. Coffey left Kingston HIgh School with five Section 9 Class AA championships, three trips to the state final four and is the school's all-time leading scorer (1,507). Butler, who will redshirt in 2010-11 season, averaged 8.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists her senior year at North Point High School. Bullard left Walnut Hills High School as the all-time leading scorer with 1,219 points. Taft averaged 20.4 points, 6.5 steals, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists her senior year, while often playing only a half most games.
Syracuse - Northeastern Series
Syracuse leads the all-time series with Northeastern, 7-1. The Orange is 4-0 all-time against the Huskies in Syracuse, including a 79-46 victory in the last meeting between the two universities on Dec. 9, 2007. In the most recent meeting Chandrea Jones combined 18 points with a career-high 14 boards to lead the Orange to the win.
Scouting the Huskies
Northeastern head coach Daynia La-Force Mann enters her fifth season as the head coach of the Huskies' and returns eight letterwinners from a squad that went 13-18 (7-11 CAA) last season. The 2010-11 Huskies were predicted to finish 12th in the CAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
The 2009-10 Huskies advanced to the CAA Championship quarterfinals for the third-consecutive season and fourth time in the last five years.
The Huskies wlecome three newcomers to the team, including freshmen Jewel Tunstull and Sierra Mendenhall and sophomore transfer Annette Kristiansen. Transfer Christine Huber will be eligible to compete in the spring semester.
Up Next
Syracuse hosts in-state foe Cornell in the Carrier Dome on Monday, November 15 at 7 p.m.
