Syracuse University
St. Bonaventure University
SU Hosts Bonnies in Second Round of NIT
3/20/2011 12:52:39 PM | Women's Basketball
The -/rv Syracuse University women's basketball team (23-9) will make its third consecutive appearance in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament when it hosts St. Bonaventure (21-11) inside the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome on Monday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
| Game 33 | ||
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vs. |  |
| 23-9 |
21-11 |
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| Game Info | Monday, March 21 | 7 p.m. | |
| Location | Syracuse, N.Y. | Carrier Dome | |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Single Game $11 |
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| Watch | Orange All Access | Live Stats | |
| Listen | Orange All Access | ESPN 97.7 FM | |
| Game Information | Syracuse Game Notes | St. Bonaventure Notes | |
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander led all scorers with 26 points, as Syracuse advanced to the second round with a 77-53 win against Monmouth on St. Patrick's Day. Five players, including Alexander, Carmen Tyson-Thomas (15 points), Iasia Hemmingway (15 points), Elashier Hall (11 pts.) and Shakeya Leary (10 pts.) scored in double figures for the Orange.
All Orange contests 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 is available on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access. Live statistics are also available on SUAthletics.com and on your phone at SUAthletics.com/wbbmobile.
Up Next: The winner of the Syracuse–St. Bonaventure game will either face Eastern Michigan or UNC Wilmington in the third round.
SCOUTING ST. BONAVENTURE
For the third consecutive year, St. Bonaventure (21-11) playing is in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The Bonnies have won at least one game in the tournament each year.
SBU defeated Lehigh, 77-43, in the WNIT first round on Thursday.
Junior forward Megan Van Tatenhove leads the Bonnies in points (14.5), rebounds (5.6) and steals (1.5). Junior guard Jessica Jenkins is the only other player in double-figures with 13.2 points per game.
St. Bonaventure lost in the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament for the third straight year, this time to NCAA Tournament participant Temple, 75-56.
Freshman guard CeCe Dixon, freshman forward Doris Ortega and junior guard Armelia Horton all attended the same high school as Syracuse senior guard Erica Morrow and redshirt forward Shakeya Leary - Murry Bergtraum.
SERIES NOTES
Sunday's game between the Orange and the Bonnies marks the ninth meeting between the team programs with SU boasting a 6-2 advantage.
The Orange won the first two meetings with the Bonnies during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, but St. Bonaventure took home the next to encounters during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.
Syracuse has won the last four, including the last two in Olean. SU is 3-1 all-time at St. Bonaventure.
LAST MEETING
Erica Morrow scored eight of Syracuse's final 11 points, all in the final 3:01 of play, to lead the Orange past St. Bonaventure, 69-68, on Dec. 28, 2008. Morrow, who finished with a team-leading 23 points, converted two free throws in the final seconds to secure the triumph.
Syracuse trailed by as many as 12 points in the contest and did not take the lead until Morrow's two free throws with 3:01 left put the Orange ahead, 60-59. The Bonnies answered with a basket by Dana Mitchell but Tasha Harris drained a 3-pointer, to give SU a 63-61 advantage. Mitchell tied things up with a layup and Morrow responded with a layup with 1:28 remaining. St. Bonaventure managed to knot things up one more time after Andrea Doneth converted a jumper at the 1:05 mark. Morrow led Syracuse's charge again, getting in the lane for a score that put SU ahead for good. Her two free throws with eight ticks left sealed the decision. The Bonnies got a last-second three from Jessica Jenkins for the final margin.
Juanita Ward had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Chandrea Jones contributed 13 points and nine boards, and Lina Lisnere posted season-high efforts with seven points and seven rebounds.
NIT FACTS
The Orange is making its third consecutive appearance in the National Invitational Tournament.
SU went 3-1 last season. Syracuse defeated Harvard, 87-68, in the first round, Richmond, 69-55, in round two and Virginia Commonwealth, 74-59, in the third round. The Orange lost at Michigan, 78-52, in the quarterfinals.
SU went 1-1 in the 2009 tournament. Syracuse defeated Canisus, 90-65, in the Carrier Dome in the first round on March 18, 2008. It was Syracuse's first postseason victory in program history. The Orange ended its season with a 72-69 loss in the second round of the NIT at Bowling Green on March 22.
DOME SWEET DOME
The Orange has been very impressive at home, recording a 18-2 record this season in Syracuse.
SU is 58-14 (.806) at home since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Syracuse has won 40 consecutive non-conference home games (343 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 33 of its last 34 regular-season non-conference games, back to Nov. 26, 2008. Its only setback was to #2/2 Baylor.
SECOND BEST RECORD
Syracuse's 23-9 record matches the second-best mark the Orange has ever had after 32 games. Only SU's 25-7 record during the 1980-81 season was better.
It marks also marks only the third time Syracuse has won 23 games - 2009-10 and 1980-81.
