Syracuse University
Cornell University
Orange Hosts Cornell Monday
11/14/2010 6:53:19 PM | Women's Basketball
| Game Two | ||
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vs. |  |
| 1-0 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST | 0-1 overall, 0-0 Ivy League | |
| Game Info | Monday, November 15 | 7 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 | Live Stats | |
| Listen | Orange All Access | ESPN 97.7 FM | |
| Game Information | Syracuse Game Notes | |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse women's basketball team returns to Jim Boeheim Court on Monday, November 15 when it hosts in-state foe Cornell at 7 p.m. The Orange enters the contest off a season-opening win against Northeastern on Friday night.
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.
Last Time Out
Syracuse earned a 72-69 season-opening victory against Northeastern at the Dome on Friday, behind strong performances from sophomores Kayla Alexander, Carmen Tyson-Thomas and junior transfer Iasia Hemingway. Alexander led the team with 12 rebounds while adding 12 total points and four blocked shots and Tyson-Thomas netted a double-double with 15 points and a team-best tying 12 boards. Hemingway led the team with 17 points and added seven rebounds and a pair of steals in her Syracuse debut. Rebounding was the key to victory for the Orange, who out-rebounded the Huskies 65-29, including 37 offensive boards.
Season Opening Success
The Orange is 27-13 (.675) all-time in season debuts, including the 72-69 victory against Northeastern at the Dome on Friday. This year's opener was 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.
Streaking
SU has won 29 consecutive non-conference home games (23 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 - Cornell Series
Syracuse leads the all-time series with Cornell, 12-3. The Orange and the Big Red have not met since the 2006-07 season, which ended a four-year streak of an annual meeting between the teams. SU is 2-0 against Cornell in the Carrier Dome.
In the last meeting on Nov. 15, 2006, Syracuse defeated Cornell, 72-64, in its home opener at the Carrier Dome behind an 18 point, eight rebound performance from Vaida Sipavicute.
Scouting the Big Red
Under the direction of eighth-year head coach Dayna Smith, Cornell enters Monday's matchup coming off a 65-60 season-opening loss to Cleveland State on Saturday. The Big Red returns five letterwinners, including two starters from the 2009-10 team that compiled a 7-20 overall record, including a 2-12 mark in Ivy League competition.
Sophomore forward Clare Fitzpatrick is the leading returner for Cornell, ranking third on the team in 2009-10 with 236 points and second with 137 boards. She also paced the squad in the loss to Cleveland State, posting a team-high 14 points and six rebounds.
Up Next
Syracuse continues its eight-game homestand when it welcomes Long Island University to the Dome on Monday, November 22 at 7 p.m.
