#24/20 SU Hosts #13/14 Louisville on Senior Night

24/20 Syracuse (22-6, 10-5) vs. 13/14 Louisville (23-6, 11-4)
Game Details	Monday, March 4 \| Syracuse, N.Y. \| 9 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
Louisville Links	Game Notes \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats

No. 24/20 Syracuse women's basketball (22-6, 10-5) closes the regular season on Monday when it hosts No. 13/14 Louisville (23-6, 11-4) The on Senior Night at the Carrier Dome in 9 p.m. tip-off on CBS Sports Network. Seniors Kayla Alexander, Elashier Hall, Carmen Tyson-Thomas and Shanee Williams, the winningest class in SU program history, will be honored in a pregame ceremony that will begin at approximately 8:40 p.m.

The winner of Monday's game clinches the No. 3 seed and a double-bye in the BIG EAST Tournament. The loser will receive either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed, pending the results of Monday's other games. Syracuse has tied its best record ever through 28 games (1980-81) and has its best record through 15 conference games in 25 years. SU, ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 20 in the USA TODAY coaches poll, is coming off a 77-75 triple-overtime loss vs. Villanova on Saturday.

GAME COVERAGE
• The game is being televised on CBS Sports Network with Brent Stover and Debbi Antonelli on the call (channels 242 and 815 on Syracuse Time Warner Cable).
• 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. Monday's game will also be on WJPZ 89.1 FM.
• SUAthletics.com will have live audio on Orange All Access, as well as live stats.
• As always, follow @SyracuseWBB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

STANDINGS WATCH
• Syracuse is currently in a tie for fourth-place in the BIG EAST standings with St. John's at 10-5, one game behind tonight's opponent, Louisville (11-4).
• The winner of tonight's game receives the No. 3 seed and the double-bye that goes with it in the BIG EAST Tournament (the top four seeds receive double-byes, seeds five through nine receive one bye).
• If the Orange were to lose tonight, they would receive either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed. If St. John's wins at home vs. DePaul (7 p.m.), the Red Storm would get the fourth seed and SU would be the fifth seed. If the Blue Demons beat St. John's, SU would be in a three-way tie with St. John's and DePaul, and the Orange would receive the four-seed due to going 2-0 against those two teams.DePaul (1-1) would get the fifth-seed and St. John's (0-2) would be sixth.

AN ORANGE WIN WOULD...
• ...clinch the Orange the No. 3 seed and a double-bye in the BIG EAST Tournament on March 8-12, its highest seeding since being No. 1 in 1988.
• ...even SU's home record vs. Louisville at 5-5.
• ...make SU 23-6 for the first time in program history, one game better than the previous best through 29 games, 22-7 in 1980-81, 1987-88 and 2007-08.
• ...give SU 23 or more wins for the fourth time in program history.
• ...tie SU for its third-best conference record in program history (11-5: 1986-87) 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 22-6 record is tied for the program's best ever after 28 games with 1980-81. It has already matched last year's win total when it went 22-15.
• In the BIG EAST, Syracuse's 10-5 mark is fourth-best ever through 15 games and its best in 25 years, behind 1985-86 and 1987-88 when it was 11-3, and 1986-87 when it was 11-4.
• 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.
• She currently sits at 1,937 career points, third-most among active BIG EAST players (GU's Sugar Rodgers - 2,430, ND's Skylar Diggins - 2,200).
• Alexander is coming off back-to-back double-doubles, her 10th and 11th of the season, averaging 23 points and 13.5 rebounds. She is the BIG EAST's active leader with 30 career double-doubles, seven more than anyone else.
• 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 346 to Oslander's 262.
• Alexander, a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and preseason All-Conference honoree, leads the Orange in scoring (17.4 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg) and blocks (3.2 bpg), ranking third, third and first, respectively, in the BIG EAST.

DOME SWEET DOME
• SU has a record of 75-32 (.701) in 107 games in the Carrier Dome since moving there full-time in 2006-07.
• SU is 12-1 at home this season, winning by an average margin of 25.2 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 the previous week's No. 18, its highest ranking ever in either major poll.
• Syracuse is ranked No. 24 in the latest AP top 25 poll, down two spots from the last week and three from when it tied its highest AP ranking ever two weeks ago at No. 21. Its the Orange's fifth straight week being ranked by the AP.

SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 10th meeting all-time between Syracuse and Louisville with the Cardinals holding a 5-4 edge. SU is 3-1 at home vs. Louisville.
• Despite a 20-point, 12-rebound effort from Kayla Alexander, lost to hot-shooting Louisville, 89-62, in last season's meeting on Feb. 11, 2012 at the KFC Yum! Center. Becky Burke scored a career-high 28 points on a school-record eight 3-pointers in 15 attempts to lead a Cardinals offense that shot 58.1 percent on 3-pointers.
• SU won the last time the teams played at the Carrier Dome, 53-45, on Feb. 16, 2011. Erica Morrow scored 17 points, while Alexander added 12. SU used a 51-33 rebounding edge to outscore Louisville, 21-7, in second-chance points. Tia Gibbs led Louisville with 16 points.
• The teams first met in 1986-87 and did not play again until the Cardinals joined the BIG EAST in 2005-06.

SCOUTING LOUISVILLE
• Louisville is 23-6 overall, including a 11-4 record in BIG EAST play. It was ranked No. 13 in the latest AP poll and No. 14 in the USA TODAY coaches poll.
• Junior 5-9 guard Shoni Schimmel is Louisville's top scorer at 13.6 points per game. She has made the fourth-most 3 -pointers in the BIG EAST (72) and is shooting 40 percent from behind the arc.
• Sophomore 6-2 forward Sara Hammond has been the Cardinals top inside presence, scoring 10.4 ppg and hauling in 6.5 rebounds per game.
• Guard Antonita Slaughter is averaging 10.4 ppg and is shooting 37 percent from 3-point range, while forward Monique Reid has recently returned from a knee injury and is scoring 9.9 ppg.
• Jeff Walz is in his sixth season as head coach, leading the team to three Sweet Sixteens and 2009 Final Four.

LAST TIME OUT
• Syracuse suffered its first loss at home this season, falling to Villanova, 77-75, in a thrilling game that went three overtimes on Saturday at the Carrier Dome. Seniors Carmen Tyson-Thomas and Kayla Alexander each scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. The Orange is now 22-6 overall and 10-5 in BIG EAST play.
• Tyson-Thomas was 4-for-8 from behind the arc against the Wildcats. Senior Elashier Hall contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. Laura Sweeney had 29 points for the Wildcats, while Rachel Roberts added 20.
• The contest featured 19 lead changes and 14 ties.
• It was the first triple-overtime game for Syracuse since a 102-95 win vs. Lafayette on Dec. 4, 1998. It was the second-ever BIG EAST regular season triple overtime game and first since Feb. 9, 1993.

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 (.343).
• 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 13.0 per game.
• Syracuse's opponents are averaging 20.9 turnovers per game, resulting in a +4.14 turnover margin. The Orange is scoring 21.1 points 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 (2.2), Brittney Sykes (2.1 per game) leading the way.

DOMINATING THE GLASS
• Dominant rebounding has become the norm for the Orange in recent years. Syracuse is averaging 45.0 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 total rebounds per game (45.0), offensive rebounds (18.0), and is third in rebounding margin (+6.1).
• The Orange has turned its league-leading offensive rebounding into 17.0 second-chance points per game.
• Kayla Alexander (935) and Carmen Tyson-Thomas (878) 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.

SYKES EARNING ROOKIE HONORS
• Dynamic rookie 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, scoring in double figures in 10 out of the last 19 games, averaging 10.9 ppg, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 steals over those 19 contests, after 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the first nine.

HALL DISPLAYS ALL-AROUND GAME
• Do-everything guard Elashier Hall has been just that for the Orange thus far in 2012-13, averaging 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds, both third on the team, while contributing 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
• She is coming off a 14-point, nine-rebound effort on Saturday vs. Villanova, her 12th game scoring in double-figures this season.
• Hall became the 23rd player in SU history to reach 1,000 career points with a career-high-tying 23 points at Cincinnati on Feb. 5. She joins fellow seniors Kayla Alexander and Carmen Tyson-Thomas as the only class in program history to have three 1,000-point scorers.
• Hall was the star for the Orange in its two wins in Puerto Rico at the San Juan Shootout (11/23-24), recording the fifth double-double of her career with 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Georgia Tech and poured in 17 points, including the game-winning free throws with .4 seconds left vs. Virginia.
• Despite playing much of the latter half of last season on an injured knee, Hall finished strong, averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in the final four games of the WNIT.

TYSON-THOMAS MAKES IMPACT
• Senior Carmen Tyson-Thomas, a starter for most of last season, has moved into the role of sixth man for the Orange and has not seen her production miss a beat, averaging 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, second on the team in both.
• She has averaged 19.0 points over the last three games, scoring 17 last on Feb. 22 at USF, 18 at No. 2 Notre Dame last Tuesday, and a 22-point effort on Saturday vs. Villanova. She combined to shoot 48 percent (23-48) from the floor and averaged 8.0 boards.
• She 22 points and 11 rebounds vs. Villanova on Saturday was her 20th career double-double.
• She became the 22nd SU player to reach 1,000 career points in SU's 66-28 win vs. Wagner on Dec. 4.
• The Philadelphia native recorded her 19th career double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds in Nov. 20's win at Saint Joseph's. She had a team-high 18 points in her hometown against Temple on Dec. 2.

TRANSFER WILLIAMS TO BE HONORED
• Joining four-year seniors Alexander, Hall and Tyson-Thomas in tonight's Senior Night ceremony will be Shanee Williams. She has played two seasons at Syracuse after transferring from Monroe Community College, where she led the team to the 2011 NJCAA National Championship, winning MVP honors after scoring 17 points with five rebounds and five assists in the title game. Williams averaged 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 steals and 4.1 assists per game as a sophomore at MCC. At Syracuse, she has played in 36 games, including two starts. She has scored 72 points in an Orange uniform, including a career-high nine in a win vs. Xavier last season.

Syracuse University Athletics

#24/20 SU Hosts #13/14 Louisville on Senior Night

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