Syracuse University
Villanova University
Michael Leads Orange Against Hot Shooting Villanova
2/9/2010 9:37:06 PM | Women's Basketball
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Senior forward Nicole Michael led the Orange for her third consecutive game as the Syracuse University women's basketball team (18-6, 5-6) lost, 83-69, to Villanova (12-11, 1-9) on Tuesday evening at The Pavilion. Michael scored 23 points and added 15 rebounds for her 28th career double-double. The game marked the first time in 64 games that Villanova has scored at least 70 points.
The Wildcats won the game with the help of its 48.1 percent (13-27) 3-point shooting, while holding the Orange to just 21.4 percent (3-14) from behind the arc. Four players scored in double-figures for Villanova, including Maria Getty (28), Kyle Dougherty (18), Emily Suhey (17) and Heather Scanlon (16), all of which hit career-highs.
The Orange held the advantage in every scoring category, while dominating in offensive boards, 26-3. It also held the advantage in points in the paint (46-18), points off turnovers (17-8), second chance points (22-1), and bench points (21-4). Freshman guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas was the second leading scorer for the Orange with 13 points and seven rebounds, while junior guard Erica Morrow pitched in 10 points, five rebounds and a game-high six assists.
Syracuse was the first to score and held the lead until 16:46 when Villanova's Emily Suhey made her first 3-pointer to put the Wildcats up, 9-7. The Wildcats shot two additional 3-balls and added a freebie to increase its advantage, but the Orange scored five unanswered points to pull within two, 16-14, following a layup by sophomore guard Tyler Ash with 12:19 left. Getty made another shot from behind the arc to increase the separation, but Ash responded with a layup and freshman center Kayla Alexander put in another bucket to pull the Orange within one, 19-18, with 10:28 remaining.
Villanova kept the 3-pointers coming when Suhey made her third to hold the 22-18 advantage with 8:55 left until halftime, while a 10-2 run helped the Wildcats to a 32-20 lead with 4:37 remaining. The hosts maintained a double-digit lead until Michael hit her first 3-pointer with less than two minutes remaining to narrow the deficit, 35-27. Junior guard Erica Morrow closed out the half with two buckets to keep the Orange within six, 37-31, going into the locker room.
The Wildcats' Kyle Dougherty converted a layup into a three-point play to open the scoring in the second half. The Orange tried to catch up, but Villanova kept knocking down its 3-pointers and held a 45-33 advantage within the first three minutes. Michael hit her second 3-ball to bring SU back within nine, 47-38, with less than 15 minutes left, but the Wildcats increased its lead once again with an old-fashioned 3-point play. Michael made another bucket, but back-to-back Villanova 3-pointers took away any momentum the Orange tried to gain as the Wildcats held a 56-42 lead with 11:18 left.
The Wildcats kept its hot 3-point shooting when it made its 13th of the night with 7:33 left in the game to hold the 61-47 lead. The Orange fought to overcome its double-figure deficit and did not allow another Villanova bucket for the remainder of the game. Instead, Villanova scored its final 22 points from the free-throw line, while Tyson-Thomas hit a much-needed 3-pointer to make it an eight-point game, 73-65, with 1:11 left. Senior forward Juanita Ward and Tyson-Thomas contributed a basket a piece before settling with the 83-69 loss.
The Orange returns home to host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday, February 13 for a 2 p.m. tipoff at the Carrier Dome. The game will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Network.
