Syracuse University
Harvard University
Syracuse Hosts Harvard in the WNIT
3/17/2010 11:29:40 AM | Women's Basketball
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Orange women's basketball team (22-10) will make its third consecutive postseason appearance when it hosts Harvard (20-8) in the first round of the WNIT Tournament at Manley Field House on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. It marks the second straight season the Orange qualified for the WNIT Tournament, as it recorded the program's first postseason victory in the opening round against Canisius last season, 90-65. It is also SU's third postseason appearance in four years under the direction of fourth-year head coach Quentin Hillsman.
Fans can listen to the game live on SU's flagship station WTLA 97.7 FM and 1200 AM (WSGO 1440 AM and 100.1 FM in Oswego) or Syracuse's student station, WJPZ 89.1 FM. All games can also be heard on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access and live statistics are available through SUAthletics.com.
Orange in the WNIT
Syracuse is making its second consecutive appearance in the National Invitational Tournament after going 1-1 last season. The Orange defeated Canisius, 90-65, in the Carrier Dome in the first round on March 18, 2008 for SU's first postseason victory in program history before losing, 72-69, in the second round at Bowling Green on March 22. Junior guard Erica Morrow is averaging 18.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in the NIT after scoring 25 points on 9-of-16 (.563) shooting in SU's first postseason win. Senior forward Nicole Michael is averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in NIT games. She registered a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds at Bowling Green, while going 10-of-15 (.667) from the field.
Orange Earns All-BIG EAST Honors
Three Orange women were awarded All-BIG EAST Honors, including senior forward Nicole Michael and freshmen Kayla Alexander and Carmen Tyson-Thomas. Michael became just the seventh SU player and second consecutive to be named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Chandrea Jones earned first-team accolades last season, while Michael was named All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention in each of her first three seasons. Alexander and Tyson-Thomas are the 15th and 16th players to earn All-BIG EAST Freshman honors after Michael was named to the team in 2006-07 and current juniors, Tasha Harris and Erica Morrow were named to the squad in 2007-08.
Last Time Out
Syracuse's BIG EAST Tournament run ended with a 77-41 loss in the quarterfinals to No. 1/1 Connecticut on March 7 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Freshman center Kayla Alexander directed the offense with 11 points and seven rebounds, but the Orange struggled in field goal shooting, making just 21.2 percent (14-66) of its shots to Connecticut's 51.6 percent (33-64). Neither team relied on its perimeter shooting, but SU held the slim 20.0 percent (3-15) advantage in 3-point field goals to UConn's 7.7 percent (1-13).
Orange Against the Crimson
Syracuse is 2-1 all-time against Harvard, including a 2-0 mark in Syracuse. The Orange won the first two meetings, 68-54, on Feb. 20, 1981 and 78-66 on Dec. 20, 2001, with both games played in Manley Field House. The Crimson defeated Syracuse in the last encounter, 79-76, on Nov. 22, 2002 in Cambridge, Mass. SU is 21-4 all-time against Ivy League schools, including a 5-0 mark under head coach Quentin Hillsman.
Scouting Harvard
The Crimson went 20-9 overall and 11-3 in the Ivy League to finish second in the standings and earn the league's automatic bid to the WNIT. The game against the Orange marks its eighth postseason trip and second straight to the Postseason WNIT after completing its ninth 20-win season under head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith. Last season, Harvard lost to St. John's in the first round of the tournament. Emma Markley earned first-team All-Ivy League honors after averaging 14.1 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game this season, while finishing third in scoring among league opponents and fifth in rebounding. She posted seven double-doubles and reached double figures in 23 games this year. Brogan Berry and Victoria Lippert earned spots on the second-team. Lippert was a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie team and was second on the team in scoring with 13.1 ppg, while Berry was third on the team with 11.8 ppg.
