Syracuse University
University of Connecticut
Orange Battles Connecticut in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals
3/6/2010 7:02:30 PM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes | Tournament Central
HARTFORD, Conn. - The Syracuse University women's basketball team (22-9, 7-9) remains in Hartford, Conn. for the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament at the XL Center on Sunday, March 7. The ninth-seeded Orange faces the top-seeded Connecticut Huskies (30-0, 16-0) at 2 p.m. A victory in that contest would advance the Orange to the semifinals on Monday, March 8 at 6 p.m.
Junior Erica Morrow led Syracuse with 24 points and freshman Kayla Alexander added 16 in a BIG EAST Championship second round victory against the Providence College Friars on March 6 in Hartford, Conn. The victory marks the first time the Orange women have won two games at the BIG EAST Tournament since the 2002 season, when SU beat West Virginia and Notre Dame.
The game can be heard live on SU's flagship station WTLA 97.7 FM/ 1200 AM (WSGO 1440 AM and 100.1 FM in Oswego) with Brian Higgins '04 on the call. Fans can also listen to the game on Syracuse's student station; WJPZ 89.1 FM. Live audio for every Orange game is available on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access. Sunday's game can be seen live on the ESPNU. Live statistics for every game are also available on BIGEAST.org.
Second Round Recap
Junior guard Erica Morrow scored 24 points to lead Syracuse past Providence 76-71 in the second round of the BIG EAST Tournament. Freshman center Kayla Alexander added 16 points and Juanita Ward had 13 points and nine rebounds on March 5 for the Orange. Senior forward Nicole Michael, who missed Syracuse's first-round win over Seton Hall with a right foot injury, played 18 minutes and scored 12 points. Ward and Alexander both grabbed a team-best nine rebounds. Alexander also had a game-high five blocks. The teams were tied at 35 at halftime, and Syracuse led by just two points with four minutes left. But the Orange went on a late 12-4 run to put the game away.
Orange Against the Huskies
The Huskies have controlled the series with the Orange of late, winning 29 of the last 32 games between the two teams, including an 87-66 win at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 24. Additionally, Connecticut holds the all-time advantage with a record of 32-12. Syracuse has not defeated UConn since the 1995-96 season, a 62-59 win for the Orange against the No. 2 team in the nation.
The teams have met just once in conference postseason play, during the 2005 BIG EAST Tournament. The third-seeded Huskies defeated 11th-seeded Syracuse, 82-56, in the second round of the tournament.
Scouting Connecticut
No. 1 UConn closed the regular season with a 76-51 win against No. 7/8 Notre Dame, completing the program's eighth perfect BIG EAST regular season. The team has won 69 consecutive games, which is just one win shy of the record set by the Huskies from 2001-03. Connecticut did win any of its 30 regular season games by a margin less than 12 points.
The Huskies are led on the floor by 2009 National Player of the Year Maya Moore, who averages 18.5 points per game, and has collected 118 assists and 244 rebounds. The team's second leading scorer is BIG EAST Player of the Year Tina Charles, who became the program's career lead in points and rebounds when she recorded 18 points and eight rebounds against the Irish. Charles is averaging 18.2 points per game and has collected a team-high 277 rebounds.
