#22/20 Orange Hosts ‘Nova Saturday

22/20 Syracuse (22-5, 10-4) vs. Villanova (18-9, 7-7)
Game Details	Saturday, March 2 \| Syracuse, N.Y. \| 3 p.m. Carrier Dome \| Tickets \| Directions
Game Coverage	Radio: ESPN 97.7 FM/1200 AM (Brian Higgins), WJPZ 89.1 FM Orange All Access: Listen \| Live Stats Twitter: @SyracuseWBB \| @Cuse Facebook: /SyracuseWBB
Syracuse Links	Game Notes \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats
Villanova Links	Game Notes \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - No. 22/20 Syracuse women's basketball (22-5, 10-4) returns home to host Villanova (18-9, 7-7) in a key BIG EAST game on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the second game of a men's-women's doubleheader at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has its best record in program history through 27 games and its best record through 12 conference games in 25 years. SU's 10-4 BIG EAST record is tied for fourth in the standings with St. John's, just a half-game behind Monday's opponent in the regular season finale, Louisville (11-4). The Orange, ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 20 in the USA TODAY coaches poll, is coming off a 79-68 loss at at No. 2 Notre Dame on Tuesday.

GAME COVERAGE
• 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.
• SUAthletics.com will have live video and audio on Orange All Access, as well as free live stats.
• As always, follow @SyracuseWBB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

AN ORANGE WIN WOULD...
• ...even SU's home record vs. Villanova at 12-12.
• ...make SU 23-5 for the first time in program history, one game better than the previous best through 28 games, 22-6 in 1980-81.
• ...give SU 23 or more wins for the fourth time in program history.
• ...give SU its third-best BIG EAST record through 15 games in program history and its best in 25 years, behind only 1985-86 and 1987-88 when the Orange was 11-3.

BEST START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
• Syracuse's 22-5 record is the program's best ever after 27 games, surpassing 2007-08, Quentin Hillsman's second season as head coach, and 1980-81 when it was 21-6. It has also already matches last year's win total in 10 fewer games (22-15).
• In the BIG EAST, Syracuse's 10-4 mark is its third-best ever through 14 games and best in 25 years, behind 1985-86 and 1987-88 when it was 11-3, and tied with 1986-87.
• 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.

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 became SU's all-time leading scorer on Jan. 26 at Villanova, passing Nicole Michael's (2007-10) 1,787 points with a layup at the 1:03 mark of the first half, finishing the game with 1,791.
• Following her impressive 24-point effort at Notre Dame on Tuesday, she currently sits at 1,915 career points, third-most among active BIG EAST players (Sugar Rodgers - 2,409, Skylar Diggins - 2,172).
• Alexander poured in 24 points and 16 rebounds at No. 2 Notre Dame on Tuesday for her 10th double-double of the season and 29th of her career, the most of any active BIG EAST player.
• Earlier this season, she also became SU's all-time leader in field goals made, free throws made and blocks.
• She has twice been BIG EAST Player of the Week (Nov. 19, Dec. 10) and four times to the weekly honor roll.
• 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 344 to Oslander's 262.
• Alexander, a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and preseason All-Conference honoree, leads the Orange in scoring (17.2 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg) and blocks (3.3 bpg), ranking second, third and first, respectively, in the BIG EAST.

DOME SWEET DOME
• SU has a record of 75-31 (.708) in 106 games in the Carrier Dome since moving there full-time in 2006-07.
• SU is a perfect 12-0 at home this season, winning by an average margin of 27.5 points.
• Last season, SU was 9-6. The Orange was nearly unbeatable on its home court in 2010-11, posting a 20-2 record in the Dome.

ORANGE IN THE TOP 25
• SU is ranked No. 20 in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll, down two spots from last week's No. 18, its highest ranking ever in either major poll.
• Syracuse is ranked No. 22 in this week's AP top 25 poll, down one spot from last week when it tied its highest AP ranking ever. This is the Orange's fourth straight week being ranked by the AP.

SERIES HISTORY
• Syracuse is 15-39 all-time against Villanova in a series that dates back to 1981-82. SU is 11-12 at home.
• SU is 3-4 since Quentin Hillsman became head coach in 2006-07.
• In this season's first meeting, Rachel Roberts scored a career-high 26 points as No. 25 Villanova shot 10-of-25 from 3-point range to defeat No. 22 Syracuse, 64-59, in a back-and-forth game at the Pavilion on Jan. 26. Kayla Alexander scored six points to become the Orange's all-time leading scorer. Elashier Hall led the Orange with 17 points and nine rebounds. Brittney Sykes added 14 points, while Brianna Butler and Carmen Tyson-Thomas each added nine in a game that featured 13 lead changes and 11 ties.
• SU's last win in the series came on Feb. 12, 2011 at the Carrier Dome behind 22 points by Kayla Alexander. The Orange scored 20 points off 21 Wildcat turnovers.

SCOUTING 'NOVA
• Villanova is 18-9 overall, including a 7-7 mark in BIG EAST play. Since defeating the Orange on Jan. 26 to go to 5-1 in conference play, the Wildcats have lost six out its last eight games.
• The Wildcats are eighth in the BIG EAST at 7-7. The top nine teams receive first-round byes in the BIG EAST Championship.
• Senior 6-2 forward Laura Sweeney leads the team with 13.2 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 51 percent from the floor. In the backcourt, fellow senior Rachel Roberts is averaging 10.3 ppg and leads the team with 45 3-pointers on the season, shooting 39 percent behind the arc.
• Villanova is allowing the second-fewest points in the BIG EAST (51.4), while scoring the fourth-fewest (57.5).
• The Wildcats turn the ball over less than any team in the conference (11.1 per game) and takes it away the least (13.6 opponent turnovers per game).
• Harry Perretta is in his 35th season and one of seven head coaches with over 600 wins at one school (635).

LAST TIME OUT
• After leading by as many as 15 in the first half, Syracuse fell short in the final frame as No. 2/2 Notre Dame used a 23-4 run midway through the game to take control and held off a late Orange flurry for a 79-68 victory on Tuesday night at Purcell Pavilion.
• Kayla Alexander led the Orange with 24 points and 16 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season. The senior center scored 16 off her points in a dominant first-half performance. Brittney Sykes also had a double-double, the second of her career, with 11 points and 11 boards, while Carmen Tyson-Thomas had 18 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
• On senior Night at Purcell Pavilion, Kayla McBride led the Notre Dame in scoring with 25 points, while All-American guard Skylar Diggins had 24 points, 21 of which came in the first half, dished out eight assists and had six steals.
• SU's first-half lead reached its largest, 15 points, on an Alexander bucket at the 12:45 mark that made it a 22-7 game. Alexander went 6-of-6 shooting to start the game.

THE ORANGE ZONE
• When people think 2-3 zone, they think Syracuse, and the women's program is adding to that lore in 2012-13. The Orange is holding its opponents to the second-lowest shooting percentage in the BIG EAST (.342).
• The Orange is also proving wrong the myth that zone teams are susceptible to 3-point shooting. SU is holding its opponents to the worst 3-point shooting percentage in the league (.268).

MASTER THIEVES
• Syracuse's fullcourt pressure defense and aggressive 2-3 zone in the halfcourt have resulted in the Orange leading the BIG EAST and ranking third nationally in steals, averaging 13.3 per game.
• Syracuse's opponents are averaging 21.3 turnovers per game, resulting in a +4.44 turnover margin. The Orange is scoring 21.7points per game off turnovers.
• SU recently had an 18-steal effort at Georgetown on Feb. 12 in which it forced 27 turnovers.
• SU set a Carrier Dome record for the second time this season, recording 22 steals vs. Providence on Feb. 2, breaking the mark of 21 steals against Boise State on Dec. 30. The Dome record prior to this season was 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 Elashier Hall (2.3), Brittney Sykes (2.2 per game) leading the way.

DOMINATING THE GLASS
• Dominant rebounding has become the norm for the Orange in recent years. Syracuse is averaging 44.4 rebounds per game, with the most impressive showing being a 61-35 advantage on Nov. 20 at St. Joe's.
• SU leads the BIG EAST in offensive rebounds (18.0), is second in total rebounds per game (44.4) and fourth in rebounding margin (+5.9).
• The Orange has turned its league-leading offensive rebounding into 17.1 second-chance points per game.
• Kayla Alexander (924) and Carmen Tyson-Thomas (867) rank fourth and fifth 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.

UP NEXT
• Syracuse closes the regular season vs. No. 16 Louisville in a 9 p.m. tip-off at the Carrier Dome on CBS Sports Network.

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