Syracuse University
Eastern Michigan University
SU Travels to Toledo for Quarterfinals
3/26/2011 1:09:21 PM | Women's Basketball
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The -/rv Syracuse University women's basketball team (25-9) makes its third consecutive appearance in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament when it travels to the Mid-American Conference regular-season champion Toledo Rockets (26-8) on Saturday, March 27 at 2 p.m.
SU advanced to the quarterfinals with wins against Monmouth (77-53), St. Bonaventure (63-50) and Eastern Michigan (72-63). Syracuse is 7-2 (.778) all-time in the NIT, including a perfect 7-0 record at home. Toledo advanced to the quarterfinals with home wins against Delaware (58-55), Auburn (67-52) and Alabama (74-59).
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. Live audio for every Orange game is available on SUAthletics.com via Orange All Access. Fans can watch Sunday's matchup for free on RocketVision at UTRockets.com. Live statistics are also available on UTRockets.com
Up Next: The winner of the Syracuse–Toledo game will advance to the semifinals to play the winner of the Virginia-Charlotte contest. Date, time and location are to be determined.
SCOUTING TOLEDO
Toledo (26-8) advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT with home wins against Delaware (58-55), Auburn (67-52) and Alabama (74-59).
The Mid-American Conference regular-season champions are in the midst of a 15-game home win streak and sport a 16-1 (.941) mark in Savage Arena this season. In two-plus years under Head Coach Tricia Cullop, UT is 40-4 (.909) on its home court, including 17-3 (.850) against non-conference opponents.
All-league performers junior Naama Shafir and senior Melissa Goodall lead Toledo offensively, scoring 14.4 and 13.2 per game, respectively.
UT is 11-6 (.647) all-time in the WNIT, making its seventh appearance and second in as many seasons.
SERIES NOTES
Sunday's contest is the first between the two institutions on the hardwood. The Orange is 5-1 this season against first-time opponents.
BUCKEYE STATE
Syracuse is 1-0 against the MAC this season, defeating Eastern Michigan, 72-63, in the third round of the WNIT on Thursday.
Head coach Quentin Hillsman is 6-4 all-time versus the Buckeye State. The Orange is 3-3 in Ohio under Hillsman's watch, including two wins at Cincinnati and one at Ohio University.
SU also defeated then No. 6/6 Ohio State, 75-66, earlier this season in the Dome, Ohio at home last season and Cincinnati in 2007-08.
Cincinnati has defeated the Orange twice (once in Ohio and once in the Dome). SU also lost at #17/18 Ohio State during the 2008-09 season and at rv/- Bowling Green in the second round of the 2009 WNIT.
NIT FACTS
Syracuse is making its third consecutive appearance in the National Invitational Tournament.
The Orange 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.
Syracuse is 7-2 (.778) all-time in the NIT, including a perfect 7-0 record at home.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Orange has won 32 of its last 36 non-conference games, back to the end of the 2008-09 season. Its only setbacks were to #1/1 Connecticut in the BIG EAST Tournament, at Michigan in the quarterfinals of the 2010 NIT, #2/2 Baylor and #17/19 Georgetown in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Syracuse has won 42 consecutive non-conference home games (36 in the Carrier Dome). SU's last non-conference loss at home came on Dec. 22, 2006 against Canisius (56-43).
SECOND BEST RECORD
Syracuse's 25-9 record matches the second-best mark the Orange has ever had after 24 games. Only SU's 26-8 record during the 1980-81 season was better.
It also marks only the third time Syracuse has won 25 games - 2009-10 and 1980-81.
SU has only won 26 games once - 1980-81.
NIT SHOOTING
Syracuse has done a better job of shooting the ball during its NIT run, making 46.4 percent (78-168) of its field-goal attempts, including 33.3 percent (14-42) of its 3-point attempts.
SU is also shooting 80.8 percent (42-52) from the foul line.
Syracuse made a season-best 88.2 percent (15-17) in its win against Eastern Michigan.
FOR THE SEASON
The Orange is shooting 41.2 percent (814-1978) from the field on the year.
Syracuse is shooting 29.9 percent (172-575) from behind the arc.
SU has made 72.2 percent (583-807) of its attempts. SU has made more free throws than its opponents have shot (497).
The Orange is third in the BIG EAST and 73rd in the nation in free-throw percentage.
Syracuse is 16-3 overall and 4-2 in the BIG EAST in games in which it shoots better than 70.0 percent from the four line.
NIT IMPROVMENT
Syracuse has seen increased productions from four of its impact players during the NIT.
Junior guard Iasia Hemingway paces the Orange with 19.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
Sophomore center Kayla Alexander is next at 18.0 points per game. Sophomore guards Carmen Tyson-Thomas is third at 10.0 points per game.
Sophomore guard Elasier Hall is second on the team with 7.7 rebounds per game.
