Syracuse University
Ohio State University
Orange Hosts 6/6 Ohio State Saturday
12/10/2010 9:33:12 AM | Women's Basketball
| Game Eight | ||
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vs. |  |
| 7-0 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST | 7-0 overall, 0-0 Big 10 | |
| Game Info | Saturday, December 11 | 1 p.m. | |
| Location | Syracuse, N.Y. | Carrier Dome | |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Single Game $10 | Season Tickets $90 |
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| Watch | Time Warner/SNY | Orange All Access | Live Stats | |
| Listen | Orange All Access | ESPN 97.7 FM | |
| Game Information | Syracuse Game Notes | Ohio State Game Notes | |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Syracuse (7-0) faces it toughest challenge of the season to date when it hosts 6/6/ Ohio State (7-0) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, December 11 at 1 p.m. The game concludes an eight-game season-opening homestand for the squad which looks to improve to 8-0 for the second-consecutive season while extending its non-conference home winning streak to 36 games. Orange fans with season tickets to either men's or women's basketball will recieve TWO FREE general admission tickets to Saturday's contest at any Dome ticket window.
The contest can be seen live on Time Warner Sports and SNY with Steve Infanti (play-by-play) and Lorranie Schunck (color) on the call. It can also be heard live on SU's flagship station ESPN 97.7 FM/1200 AM with Brian Higgins '04 on the call. Fans can also listen to the game on Syracuse's student station, WJPZ 89.1 FM. Live video and audio for every Orange home game are available on SUAthletics.com via Orange All-Access. Live statistics are also available on SUAthletics.com and on your phone at SUAthletics.com/wbbmobile.
Last Time Out
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander notched her second double-double of the season to lead Syracuse to a 69-38 win against Albany on Dec. 6 at the Carrier Dome.
Alexander controlled the lane for the Orange, helping the squad to a 30-8 advantage in points in the paint and a 54-25 edge on the boards. The reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week, Alexander combined a game-best 15 points with a career-high 19 rebounds and added four blocks. Senior guard Erica Morrow was second on the team with 11 points and added three steals while junior forward Iasia Hemingway rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and six rebounds.
Senior guard Tasha Harris directed the Orange offense, dishing out seven assists while chipping in eight points. Sophomore forwards Elashier Hall and Carmen Tyson-Thomas also added eight points each while Tyson-Thomas was second on the team with seven rebounds.
Scouting Ohio State
At 7-0, the Buckeyes are looking to tie for their best start to a season under Jim Foster after starting 8-0 last season.
The Buckeyes are ranked No. 6 in both the USA Today/ESPN Coaches and Associated Press polls and
currently have an RPI ranking of No. 1 according to Realtimerpi.com as of Dec. 3.
Head coach Jim Foster coached his 1,000th career game on Dec. 5 and has a career record of 723-277.
Ohio State is averaging 79.1 points per game, scoring at least 80 on four occasions.
Senior Jantel Lavender is averaging a Big Ten-best 25.7 points per game and 10.4 rebounds. She has
five double-doubles on the year. Lavender holds Ohio State records for field goals (900) and rebounds (1,125) in a career. She has scored 10+ points in all 109 career games, the longest active streak in Division I.
Samantha Prahalis (1,014 points/531 assists) became just the third Ohio State player with at least 1,000 points and 500 assists on Dec. 5. Prahalis is averaging 10.5 assists per game. She recorded a career-high 15 in the win against No. 11 Oklahoma. She also is fourth in the Big Ten with 17.7 ppg.
Series Notes
Saturday's game marks the 10th meeting all-time between the two programs, and the fourth the Buckeyes have played in Syracuse. Ohio State leads the series, 9-0. The teams first met in the Carrier Dome during the 1981-82 season, a game won by Ohio State, 68-64. SU and OSU last met during the 2008-09 season in Columbus. The Buckeyes also won that game, 78-71.
USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll
For the fourth consecutive season the Orange is receiving national attention. Syracuse garnered four votes in the most recent USA today/ESPN Coaches Poll, putting SU in a tie for 33rd.
The Orange has now received votes or been ranked for 38 weeks during the last four seasons.
Undefeated
Syracuse is 7-0 for the second consecutive season. An Orange victory against Ohio State will give SU a 8-0 record for the second straight year. It would be the fourth 8-0 start in program history.
December
SU has been more successful in the month of December, winning its last 25 games dating back to Dec. 22, 2006.
Non-Conference Success
Syracuse has won 35 consecutive non-conference home games (29 in the Carrier Dome). SU's last non-conference loss at home came on Dec. 22, 2006 against Canisius (56-43).
The Orange has also won 27 straight regular-season non-conference games, back to Nov. 26, 2008.
Among The Nation's Best
Syracuse is one of the nation's best teams this season, leading all NCAA Division I teams in four categories, while ranking among the top 10 in two others.
The Orange, undefeated on the season at 7-0 for the second-consecutive year, is one of 15 unbeaten teams leading the nation with a 1.000 win percentage.
SU leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 43.8 points per game, while also ranking first in field goal percentage defense (.280). The Orange defense has been impressive throughout the season, setting a program record for fewest points allowed (17) to Delaware State on Dec. 1. Syracuse also owns a rebounding margin of +20.0 boards per game which leads the nation.
SU also ranks among the nation's best in scoring margin (third; 38.7 points per game) and steals per game (fourth; 15.0 per game).
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander also registers among the nation's best individually, ranking fourth with 4.3 blocks per game and fifth with a 65.4 field goal percentage. Senior guard Erica Morrow is fifth in steals (3.8).
Catch SU on Time Warner Sports
The Orange has had three games selected for live broadcast on Time Warner Sports. The coverage kicks off as the Orange hosts 6/6 Ohio State in the Carrier Dome on Sat., Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. and includes the Jan. 26 game against Pittsburgh and the Feb. 8 contest against DePaul.
The Ohio State and DePaul contests will also be carried on SNY allowing fans in the New York City area to watch New York's College Team live.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week for the third week of the season. It is the first career player of the week nod for Alexander and the first for the Orange this season.
Alexander averaged 20.0 points, 5.7 blocks and 2.3 steals per game in Syracuse's 3-0 week. She netted a career-high 24 points against New Hampshire on Nov. 29, connecting on 9-of-12 from the floor before immediately bettering that career standard with 27 points against Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 1. She set an SU single-game record going 9-of-9 from the field while adding seven rebounds and four blocks against the Hawks. On Dec. 4, she rounded out the week with a near triple-double, combining for a career-best nine blocks with nine points, eight rebounds and three steals in 21 minutes against Delaware State.
Another Career Day
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander notched her second double-double of the season to lead -/rv Syracuse to a 69-38 win against Albany. The reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week, Alexander combined a game-best 15 points with a career-high 19 rebounds and added four blocks.
The 2009-10 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team honoree leads the team in points (16.0) and blocks (4.3) and is tied for first in rebounds (8.7). She is second in field-goal percentage (.619) and has made (34) and attempted (43) a team-best number of free throws.
Baby Barkley Back At It
Guard Iasia Hemingway rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals versus Albany.
Hemingway is third in points (10.9), first in field-goal percentage (.628) and for fourth in rebounds (5.6).
Senior Steps Up
Senior guard Erica Morrow was second on the team with 11 points and added three steals and three rebounds against Albany. She was 4-of-9 (.444) from the field, including 3-of-7 (.429) from behind the 3-point line.
The native New Yorker is first on the team in steals (3.7), second in assists (4.7) and fourth in points (10.5).
Ms. Double-Double
Guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas was one rebound short of registering her fourth double-double of the year, matching 15 points with nine rebounds against Delaware State. She was 50 percent (5-10) from the floor and perfect from the free-throw line (5-5) while adding two assists and two steals in just 17 minutes.
The sophomore recorded her fifth career double-double with 10 points a career-best 13 rebounds as Syracuse defeated UMES, 73-50, on Dec. 2.
She also registered a double-double in the season-opener with 15 points and 12 rebounds and in SU's win against Long Island, posting 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Philadelphia native is tied for the Orange lead in rebounds (8.7) and is second in points (11.0). Tyson-Thomas is also pacing the Orange in free-throw percentage, making 82.6 (19-23) of her attempts.
Defense Has Been Impressive
Syracuse has done a great job on the defensive end of the floor. The Orange have held its last two opponents to 55 points on 19.0 percent (20-105) shooting. Syracuse limited Albany to 38 points on 23.6 percent (13-55) shooting and Delaware State to 17 points on 14.0 percent (7-50), including 3.6 percent (1-28) in the second half.
SU also forced 51 turnovers in those two wins.
The Orange is limiting its opponents to just 43.0 points per game and 27.4 percent (106-387) shooting.
SU is averaging 14.4 steals per game and forces and an average of 24.9 turnovers per game.
