Syracuse University
Rutgers University
Hemingway Leads in Narrow Loss
2/6/2011 12:20:08 PM | Women's Basketball
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Final Stats | Postgame Interviews
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PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Junior guard Iasia Hemingway netted a game-best 18 points as Syracuse (16-6, 4-5) dropped a close decision to Rutgers (13-9, 6-3) at the Louis Brown Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon, 54-47. The Orange dominated the boards for the 20th time this season in the loss, outrebounding the Scarlet Knights, 41-28, including a 18-9 edge on the offensive glass.
“We knew we needed to get the ball into the middle, attack and shoot layups,” head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “Earlier in the game we were getting the ball inside, attacking and getting fouled. Later we got a little hesitant against their pressure and weren't taking those same shots we were in the first half.”
Hemingway shot 6-14 from the floor and 6-9 from the charity stripe while collecting seven rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists. Sophomore center Kayla Alexander was second on the team, notching her eighth career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds while adding four blocks.
Sophomore guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas added nine points and four rebounds off the bench while classmate Elashier Hall added four points and seven rebounds to the Orange effort. Senior guard Erica Morrow chipped in five rebounds and a pair of steals.
Rutgers outscored the Syracuse, 14-4, through the first eight minutes of play as the Orange worked to find its offensive rhythm. A defensive adjustment helped SU halt the Scarlet Knights' scoring while using its own 8-2 run to cut the Rutgers lead, 16-12, with 7:52 left in the first half. Hemingway and Tyson-Thomas each had three points in the run while redshirt freshman forward #Shakeya Leary# added a pair of free throws.
An inside bucket by Alexander made it a one-possession game, 16-14, before Hemingway converted both attempts of a one-and-one to tie the game at 16 with 6:02 remaining in the first half. The teams traded scores out of the tie, with Rutgers maintaining a two-point edge until the final 1.3 seconds of the half when Hemingway recorded the hoop and harm to give Syracuse a 25-24 advantage at the break.
The Orange carried its momentum out of the intermission, using seven unanswered to take its largest lead of the contest, 32-24, with 17:10 remaining in regulation. Alexander propelled the run with four points while Hall added a pair.
Rutgers responded with a 9-2 run to pull within two, 34-33, with 11:25 remaining in regulation. Back-to-back scores by Monique Oliver gave the Scarlet Knights its first lead of the half, 37-36, with 8:26 to play.
The teams traded scores through the next six minutes, with Rutgers taking a three-point edge, 45-42, with two minutes remaining in regulation.
The Scarlet Knights outscored the Orange 11-5 through the final two minutes to cement the 54-47 victory.
Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome to begin a three-game home stand when it entertains 9/13 DePaul on Tuesday, February 8 at 7 p.m.
The following Saturday, February 12 the Orange hosts Villanova in its annual Pink Zone Game. The Carol Baldwin Foundation and The Dimples Awareness Foundation will both be on hand to distribute information and bring awareness to their causes. Pink t-shirts will be given out as part of the in-game t-shirt toss while Syracuse will be dressed in pink warm-ups, pink uniforms and pink shoelaces. Anyone wearing pink to the game will receive a discount on a general admission ticket.
Saturday will also be Girl Scout Day and High School Day as part of the BIG EAST Pack the House challenge. More than 100 girl scouts in attendance all receiving an SU women's basketball Girl Scout patch while more than 25 high school teams will also be present for the action.
