Alexander Goes For Record At #25 'Nova

RV/22 Syracuse (16-2, 4-1) at RV/25 Villanova (15-3, 4-1)
Game Details	Saturday, Jan. 26 \| Villanova, Pa. \| 6 p.m. The Pavilion \| Tickets \| Directions
Game Coverage	Radio: ESPN 97.7 FM/1200 AM (Brian Higgins), WJPZ 89.1 FM Orange All Access: Listen Nova Nation All-Access: Watch \| Live Stats Twitter: @SyracuseWBB \| @Cuse Facebook: /SyracuseWBB
Syracuse Links	Game Notes \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats
Villanova Links	Game Notes \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The RV/22 Syracuse Orange women's basketball team (16-2, 4-1) concludes its three-game road swing on Saturday at RV/25 Villanova (15-3, 4-1) in a 6 p.m. tip at the Pavilion.

• Kayla Alexander (1,785 points) enters the game just two points behind Nicole Michael's (2007-10) school record of 1,787 career points.
• Syracuse, ranked No. 22 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, is coming off a thrilling 60-57 victory at St. John's on Wednesday in which freshman Brittney Sykes hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer from beyond half-court to give the Orange its best record after 18 games in program history.

GAME COVERAGE
• Saturday's game will be webcast live on Nova Nation All-Access. A fee applies. A link is available on above.
• All the Orange's games can be heard live on SU's flagship station, ESPN 97.7 FM/1200 AM, and on Orange All-Access at SUathletics.com with Brian Higgins '04 on the call. Saturday's game will also be on WJPZ 89.1 FM.
• A link to free live stats is available above.
• As always, follow @SyracuseWBB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

ALEXANDER: SETTING RECORDS
• Senior center Kayla Alexander continues to rewrite the SU record book as she cements herself as one of the greatest players in program history. She enters Saturday's game with 1,785 points, just two behind Nicole Michael's (2007-10) program record of 1,787.
• She passed Erica Morrow's (2008-11) 1,658 for second all-time at Syracuse with 20 points in Dec. 4's 83-48 win vs. Loyola.
• Alexander had a dominating 24-point, 17-rebound, 4-block effort vs. DePaul on Jan. 15.
• She has twice been BIG EAST Player of the Week (Nov. 19, Dec. 10).
• Alexander scored a career-high 34 points, single-handedly outscoring Wagner in SU's 66-28 win on Dec. 4. Her night included a Carrier Dome-record 14 field goals made. It was the most points scored in a game by an SU player since Nicole Michael's 36 vs. Binghamton on Nov. 22, 2009.
• Alexander passed Holly Oslander (1989-94) to become Syracuse's all-time blocks leader with eight rejections in the opener vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (11/11). She now has 318 to Oslander's 262.
• Alexander, a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and preseason All-Conference honoree, leads the Orange in scoring (18.6 ppg), rebounding (8.4 rpg) and blocks (3.4 bpg), ranking second, third and first, respectively, in the BIG EAST.

HOT STARTERS
• Syracuse is 16-2 for the first time in program history, bettering the previous 18-game best of 15-3 in 2009-10.
• SU's 4-1 BIG EAST record is its second-best start ever. The Orange started the 1985-86 season 6-0 in-conference that season before finishing 12-3.
• Syracuse's men's and women's basketball programs have the best combined record of any Division I school (34-3).
• SU blitzed through its non-conference slate with 12-1 record, tied for the second-best regular season non-conference record in program history.
• The Orange went 13-0 in regular season non-conference games in 2009-10. This season's 12-1 mark matches 2007-08 and 2010-11.
• The top six non-conference regular seasons have come in Quentin Hillsman's seven seasons as head coach.

ORANGE ROAD SHOW
• The Orange is a combined 8-2 in away and neutral site games this season.
• Syracuse opened the season by playing seven of eight games away from the Carrier Dome, going 6-1, including 4-1 on the opponent's court. SU's 4-0 away-game record in November was the best among all BCS conference teams, ahead of Arkansas (3-0) and Arizona (3-0). Its 6-0 record in neutral-site and away games combined was also the best among major conference teams.
• Going back to last season, SU played 15 out of 16 away from home between the regular season finale on Feb. 27 and this season's eighth game on Dec. 2.
• The Orange's 10-5 record on the road in 2011-12 was the best in program history in terms of wins and is the best in terms of winning percentage (.667) since 1978-79 (7-1, .875).
• In last season's WNIT, Syracuse won four consecutive away games for the first time in 22 years.

'CUSE CRACKS TOP 25
• Syracuse is ranked No. 22 in this week's USA TODAY Coaches Poll, tied for its highest ranking ever in that poll (Jan. 28, 2008 & Dec. 15, 2009). Last week, SU was No. 23, its first ranking since Jan. 31, 2011 (No. 25) and its highest since Dec. 29, 2009 (No. 23). The Orange is one spot out of the AP top 25 for the second straight week.

SERIES HISTORY
• Syracuse is 15-38 all-time against Villanova in a series that dates back to 1981-82. SU is 3-21 at Villanova.
• The teams have split the last six meetings since Quentin Hillsman became head coach in 2006-07.
• Last season, SU erased a 10-point second-half deficit to take a seven-point lead with 7:30 remaining, but the Wildcats closed the game on a 14-4 run to win, 68-60, in the regular season finale on Feb. 27 at the Pavilion. Iasia Hemingway recorded a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Lindsay Kimmel led Villanova with 16 points. SU scored 21 second-chance points and enjoyed a 42-29 rebounding edge, but the Wildcats shot 14-of-26 from 3-point range.
• SU's last win came on Feb. 12, 2011 at the Carrier Dome behind 22 points by Kayla Alexander. The Orange's last win at Villanova was Jan. 19, 2008, 73-60.

SCOUTING VILLANOVA
• Villanova is 15-3 overall, including a 4-1 mark in the BIG EAST, tied with UConn and SU for second place. The Wildcats are ranked 25th in the coaches poll.
• The Wildcats had a six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday at Providence, 65-60, in overtime. They have conference wins over Cincinnati (54-51), DePaul (65-45), Pittsburgh (68-52) and USF (52-49).
• 'Nova won nine games in a row between a 75-60 loss at Minnesota in its second game and a 59-45 loss vs. Delaware.
• Senior 6-2 forward Laura Sweeney leads the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg).
• Villanova is allowing the second-fewest points in the BIG EAST (49.5), while scoring the fourth-fewest (59.4).
• The Wildcats turn the ball over less than any team in the conference (11.2 per game) and takes it away the least (13.9 opponent turnovers per game).
• Harry Perretta is in his 35th season and one of seven head coaches with over 600 wins at one school (632).

SYKES HITS "THE SHOT"
Watch the Shot | ESPN Version
• Freshman Brittney Sykes' steal and half-court shot at the buzzer gave Syracuse an amazing 60-57 victory at St. John's on Wednesday at Carnesecca Arena.
• With the scored tied, 57-57, and St. John's inbounding at its offensive end, Sykes stole the ball immediately after the inbounds pass from her former high school teammate, Nadirah McKenith, and shot the ball from 50 feet, just ahead of the buzzer and banked it in for the incredible win.
• Sykes amazing shot received national attention, leading ESPN's SportsCenter and taking No. 1 Play of the Day honors.
• Sykes led the Orange with 16 points and seven rebounds. Kayla Alexander and Shakeya Leary added points each and Rachel Coffey dished out a team-high five assists. Leary scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half.

SYKES EARNING ROOKIE HONORS
• Syracuse guard Brittney Sykes was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week two consecutive weeks on Dec. 31 and Jan. 7.
• The Newark, N.J. native and 2012 McDonald's All-American has come on strong recently, averaging 13.8 points and 6.7 rebounds over the last six games.
• Sykes has scored in double figures in seven out of the last nine games, averaging 12.7 ppg, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals over those nine contests, after posting 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the first nine.

DOMINATING THE GLASS
• Dominant rebounding has become the norm for the Orange in recent years. Syracuse is averaging 45.4 rebounds per game, with the most impressive showing being a 61-35 advantage on Nov. 20 at St. Joe's.
• In the BIG EAST, SU leads the BIG EAST in offensive rebounds (18.8), is second in total rebounds per game (45.4) and third in rebounding margin (+8.4).
• Kayla Alexander (844) and Carmen Tyson-Thomas (818) rank fourth and sixth on the Syracuse career rebounding list.
• SU finished second in the NCAA in rebounding in 2011-12, averaging 46.2 per game and ranked 11th in rebounding margin (+8.9).
• Syracuse led the NCAA in rebounding margin in 2010-11 at +13.4 per game. SU outrebounded 31 of its 35 opponents.

MASTER THIEVES
• Syracuse's fullcourt pressure defense and aggressive 2-3 zone in the halfcourt have resulted in the Orange ranking second in the BIG EAST and fifth nationally in steals, averaging 13.4 per game.
• SU set a Carrier Dome record with 21 steals against Boise State on Dec. 30, breaking the old record of 20 on Dec. 14, 2008 vs. Niagara. The program record is 31 (vs. Marist on Jan. 11, 1980).
• SU's thievery has been a balanced effort, with Carmen Tyson-Thomas (2.0 per game), Elashier Hall (2.0) and Brittney Sykes (1.9 per game) leading the way.
• Syracuse's opponents are averaging 22.1 turnovers per game, resulting in a +4.83 turnover margin.

UP NEXT
• Syracuse returns home to the Carrier Dome on Wednesday to host Seton Hall at 7 p.m. Single game tickets are just $10 ($5 youth/seniors) and parking at the Dome is free.

Syracuse University Athletics

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