Orange Wins BIG EAST Opener At Marquette

Saturday, January 5

Milwaukee, Wis.

8:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

13-1, 1-0

Marquette

8-6, 0-1

Syracuse

Marquette

Kayla Alexander led SU's four double-figure scorers with 20 points on her birthday.

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

1/5/2013 11:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Video: Postgame Interview & Highlights
Box Score | PDF Box Score | Season Stats

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Kayla Alexander scored 20 points on her 22^nd birthday to give Syracuse women's basketball (13-1, 1-0) a gift of a 92-79 win at Marquette (8-6, 0-1) in the BIG EAST opener on Saturday night. Brittney Sykes scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Carmen Tyson-Thomas added 16 points and eight boards and Rachel Coffey scored 15 points on 5-of-8 3-point shooting.

With its lead cut to four with 2:29 remaining, the Orange held the Golden Eagles scoreless the rest of the way, scoring the game's final nine points, including 5-of-6 shooting at the free throw line to seal the 13-point victory.

Marquette was led by Sarina Morse's 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Golden Eagles lost sixth-straight to the Orange.

SU shot 46.8 percent overall, including 9-of-21 (43 percent) shooting from 3-point range, led by Coffey's five, which all came in the first half, to post its second-highest scoring output of the season. After being out-rebounded 21-10 in the first half, Syracuse owned the boards in the second stanza, 30-15.

The BIG EAST's leading team in steals, the Orange recorded 12, led by Tyson-Thomas' four as it forced 18 Marquette turnovers.

Syracuse started the second half on an 8-0 run, fueled by ramped up defensive pressure, to extend what was a four-point halftime lead into double figures. SU continued to build its lead to as many as 15 on a Tyson-Thomas lay-up with 10:45 left to make it 69-54, but Marquette was able to slowly cut into its deficit to make it close down the stretch.

The Golden Eagles pulled within six, 83-77, on a baseline jumper by Simmons with 3:39 to go and got within four, 83-79, on a Lauren Tibbs lay-up with 2:29 to go.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with seven lead changes until the Orange took the lead for good on a Coffey 3-pointer with 5:57 left that made it 29-27. The Syracuse lead reached as many as six in the opening half on Coffey hit her fifth 3-pointer in as many attempts with 39 seconds left before a pair of free throws by Katie Young with 29 ticks left pulled Marquette within four at the half, 48-44.

The Orange shot 55 percent from the field to post its highest first-half point total of the season, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range, led by Coffey's 5-of-6 performance. Brianna Butler was 2-of-3 from long range and had eight points at the half, as did Alexander.

The Golden Eagles endured SU's hot shooting in the first half by shooting 50 percent themselves and using a 21-10 rebounding advantage to outscore the Orange on second-chance opportunities, 13-3.

Syracuse returns home to host Georgetown in a BIG EAST game at the Carrier Dome for a final time on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 3 p.m.