Syracuse University
St. Francis University (PA)
The Orange returns home for final three non-conference games
12/27/2010 1:58:33 PM | Women's Basketball
| Game 11 | ||
 |
vs. |  |
| 9-1 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST | 5-6 overall, 0-0 NEC | |
| Game Info | Tuesday, December 28 | 2 p.m. | |
| Location | Syracuse, N.Y. | Carrier Dome | |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Single Game $10 | Season Tickets $90 |
|
| Watch | Time Warner/SNY | Orange All Access | Live Stats | |
| Listen | Orange All Access | ESPN 97.7 FM | |
| Game Information | Syracuse Game Notes | St. Francis Game Notes | |
The 23/rv Syracuse University women's basketball team (9-1) heads home from the Bahamas to the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome (34,616) where it looks to extend its non-conference home winning streak against St. Francis (Pa.) on December 28 at 2 p.m.
The contest can 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.
Syracuse is ranked 23rd nationally according to the latest Associated Press Poll. It marks the second consecutive week the the Orange has been ranked.
The Orange has started the last four seasons very hot. SU is 9-1 this season and went 10-0 last year, 8-2 in 2008-09 and 9-1 in 2007-08. Combined, the Orange is 36-4 (.900) in the first 10 games over the last four years.
Syracuse continues its three-game home stand with Bryant at noon on Thursday, December 30.
BAHAMAS SHOOTOUT RECAP
Syracuse went 1-1 at the Bahamas Sunshine Shootout, defeating Clemson, 77-58, and losing to #2/2 Baylor, 77-43.
Syracuse returned to its winning ways with a 77-58 victory against Clemson on Dec. 22. Sophomore center Kayla Alexander and junior forward Iasia Hemingway both netted double-doubles in the win to earn Bahamas Sunshine Shootout All-Tournament Team accolades.
Alexander led all scorers with 23 points while adding a team-best tying 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks. Hemingway added a season-best 21 points while corralling 10 boards, helping Syracuse win the rebounding battle, 45-33, and control the paint, 38-28.
Sophomore forward Elashier Hall chipped in a career-best 16 points and five rebounds while classmate Carmen Tyson-Thomas rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and seven boards. Senior guards Tasha Harris and Erica Morrow directed the offensive effort, dishing out four and three assists, respectively, while helping turn 19 Clemson turnovers into 24 points.
2/2 Baylor handed 23/rv Syracuse its first loss of the season, 77-43, on Dec. 21. Despite the loss, the Orange owned a 46-40 advantage on the boards, with 11 different players contributing to the rebounding effort.
SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (PA)
St. Francis (5-6) has three players averaging double-digit points. Samatha Leach leads the Red Flash with 16.5 points per game. Allison Daly and Brittany Lilley round out the group with 12.7 and 12.0 points, respectively. Lilley's 15 assists against Kent State tied for the most in an NCAA DI game so far this season. Her 6.4 helpers per contest also ranks fifth in the country.
St. Francis has lost its last two, including an 84-69 setback at Duquesne last time out on Dec. 22. The Red Flash is 1-6 on the road.
The Red Flash has struggled from the free-throw line, converting on only 141-of-218 (.647).
St. Francis was picked to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference Preseason Poll. Leach was named to the Preseason Team.
Tuesday's contest is the first between the two institutions on the hardwood. The Orange is 1-1 this season against first-time opponents.
AP POLL
Syracuse is ranked 24th nationally according to today's Associated Press Poll. It marks the first time since Feb. 8, 2008 that the squad has been ranked among the AP Top 25.
The national recognition comes after Syracuse upset No. 6 Ohio State, 75-66, at the Carrier Dome on Dec. 11. It marked the first against an opponent ranked No. 6 or higher since Jan. 2, 1996 when SU defeated then No. 2 Connecticut, 62-59, at Manley Field House.
USA today/ESPN Coaches Poll
For the fourth consecutive season the Orange is receiving national attention. Syracuse garnered 43 votes, putting SU 26th.
BAHAMAS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander and junior guard Iasia Hemingway were named to the Bahamas Sunshine Shootout All-Tournament Team.
Alexander averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The sophomore made 55.6 percent (10-18) of her field-goal attempts and 87.5 percent (7-8) of her free throws.
Hemingway averaged 15.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. The junior made 50.0 percent (11-22) of her field-goal attempts and 81.8 percent (9-11) of her free throws.
TWICE AS GOOD
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander and junior guard Iasia Hemingway both posted a double-double in SU's win against Clemson.
It was Alexander's third double-double of the season and fourth of her career. It was also her third 20-plus point performance of the year, fifth of her career.
It was Hemingway's second double-double and second 20-plus point performance in a SU uniform.
FOUR CONSECUTIVE
Guard Iasia Hemingway recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds in SU's win against Clemson and 10 points, six rebounds versus No. 2 Baylor. The junior has scored in double-figures seven times this season, including the last four games.
She recorded 12 points, a team-best eight rebounds and three steals in SU's 75-66 victory versus #6/6 Ohio State on Dec. 11 at the Carrier Dome. .
Hemingway rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and six rebounds versus Albany.
Hemingway is second in points (11.9) and field-goal percentage (.539) and third in rebounds (6.3).
LEADING THE WAY
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander was unstoppable in SU's victory versus Clemson. The sophomore combined 23 points with 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. She was 8-of-14 (.571) from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.
The 2009-10 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team honoree leads the team in points (14.5), blocks (3.5) and field-goal percentage (.584) and is second in rebounds (7.9). She has made (41) and attempted (51) a team-best number of free throws and is second on the team, making 80.4 percent of her attempts.
CAREER DAY
Sophomore guard Elashier Hall chipped in a career-best 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist in SU's win against Clemson last time out. Hall was 6-of-13 (.461) from the field, including 2-of-4 (.500) from behind the 3-point line and a perfect 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
The sophomore is fourth on the team in points (9.1), third in steals (1.5) and fifth in rebounds (5.0) and assists (1.1). Hall has made a team-best47.7 percent (9-19) of her 3-point attempts. She is also shooting 78.9 percent (30-38) from the free-throw line.
GAME CHANGER
Sophomore guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas took over against Clemson, scoring seven consecutive points to help put the game out of reach as the Orange defeated the Lady Tigers, 77-58, last time out.
Tyson-Thomas finished with 11 pints, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in her 30 minutes. She was 5-of-9 (.556) from the floor.
The Philadelphia native leads the Orange in rebounds (8.1) and is fourth in points (10.0). Tyson-Thomas is also pacing the Orange in free-throw percentage, making 81.5 (22-27) of her attempts.
GREAT STARTS
Syracuse has started the last four seasons very hot. SU is 9-1 this season and went 10-0 last year, 8-2 in 2008-09 and 9-1 in 2007-08. Combined, the Orange is 36-4 (.900) in the first 10 games over the last four years.
SHOOTING THE ROCK
The Orange made 45.2 percent (28-62) of its shots in its 77-58 win against Clemson on Dec. 22. It was the seventh time SU has shot better than 41.1 percent from the field.
Syracuse is shooting 41.0 percent (258-629) from the field on the year, while scoring 75.9 points per contest.
REBOUNDING IS WHAT WE DO
The Orange has made rebounding a habit since head coach Quentin Hillsman took the reins of the program. Three of the top four rebounding performances in Syracuse history have come during the last three seasons.
Syracuse has outrebounded all 10 of its opponents this season by an average of 17.7. SU has grabbed 65 rebounds against Northeastern, 52 versus Cornell, 56 against Maryland Eastern Shore, 53 versus Delaware State and 54 against Albany. The Orange also registered 37, 22, 21, 24 and 21 offensive rebounds in those games, respectively.
The Orange outrebounded #2/2 Baylor, 46-40, and Clemson, 45-33, in its two games in the Bahamas.
DEFENSE HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE
Syracuse has done a great job on the defensive end of the floor. The Orange have held Clemson to 58 points on 39.0 percent (23-59) shooting.
The Orange is limiting its opponents to just 50.2 points per game and 32.2 percent (182-565) shooting.
SU is averaging 11.5 steals per game and forces and an average of 22.2 turnovers per game.
WHEN RANKED IN THE AP POLL
The Orange is 6-4 all-time when ranked top-25 of the Associated Press Poll. Syracuse defeated St. John's, #23/24 DePaul, Marquette, Seton Hall and Cincinnati and lost to Georgetown, #16/16 Notre Dame and Providence when it was ranked for five weeks during the 2007-08 season.
SU is 1-1 this season, defeating Clemson and losing to #2/2 Baylor.
DECEMBER
SU has been more successful in the month of December, winning 27 of its last 28 games dating back to Dec. 22, 2006. Its only setback was to #2/2 Baylor.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Syracuse has won 36 consecutive non-conference home games (30 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 29 of its last 30 regular-season non-conference games, back to Nov. 26, 2008. Its only setback was to #2/2 Baylor.
