#23/22 Orange Visits Pittsburgh

No. 23/22 Syracuse (13-5, 3-2) at RV/- Pittsburgh (12-5, 2-2)
Game Details: Thursday, January 22 | 7 p.m.
Location: Petersen Events Center | Pittsburgh, Pa.
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Audio | Video | @Cuse Twitter | @CuseWBB Twitter
Game Notes: Syracuse | Pittsburgh

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 23/22 Syracuse University women's basketball team has its second straight road contest when its faces RV/- Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

In the squad's last game, Syracuse used a strong second half en route to a 64-46 victory at Boston College on Jan. 18. Junior forward Taylor Ford tallied a team-best 15 points to lead the Orange on the road. It marked the most points she had scored during the 2014-15 season, as well.

Syracuse is looking to match its longest winning streak of the year with a victory at Pittsburgh on Thursday. With a victory, the team will win its fourth straight contest. The club has done this twice before during the 2014-15 campaign.

Ford Tough
Junior forward Taylor Ford is one of six players on the Syracuse women's basketball team to play in every game during the 2014-15 season. Ford plays in an average of 21.1 minutes per game, which ranks sixth on the squad. In addition, she ranks third on the team in rebounds, pulling down an average of 4.5 boards per contest.

The Bronx, N.Y. native currently averages 7.2 points per game, which is the fifth-best scoring average on the Orange women's basketball team. She scored at least nine points in each of the club's first three games of the 2014-15 campaign.

With a depleted front court against Boston College on Jan. 18, Ford put together one of her best efforts of the 2014-15 season. Ford scored a season-best 15 points in the squad's win against the Eagles. She also pulled down six boards in the road victory.

Against Virginia on Jan. 11, Ford was feeling it from beyond the 3-point line. She knocked down 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc en route to an 11-point performance against the Cavaliers. It matched her season-high in 3-point field goals made in a single game.

Ford had a great showing on Jan. 4 against No. 4/4 Notre Dame, as well. The junior forward scored 12 points, two shy of her season-high, and pulled down eight rebounds, matching the most she had recorded during the 2013-14 campaign. She recorded eight points and six boards in the opening 20 minutes against the 2014 national runner-up.

In the second game of the Florida Sunshine Classic on Dec. 21, Ford kept Syracuse in the contest against nationally-ranked Michigan State. She tallied 14 points against the Spartans. It marked her second-best scoring performance of the 2014-15 campaign.

Crash the Glass
The Syracuse women's basketball team has owned the boards during the 2014-15 season. Syracuse currently owns a 785-733 rebounding advantage against its opposition this year, for an average of 2.9 more rebounds than its opponents. The Orange has outrebounded its opposition in half of its games thus far in 2014-15.

In addition to its rebounding prowess, the squad has been even more impressive on the offensive glass. Currently, the team leads the ACC in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 18.2 per game. The squad ranks fourth in the country in offensive rebounding, as well.

Sophomore center Briana Day and junior guard Cornelia Fondren have been the club's top-two sources for rebounds this season. Day leads the team with 10.5 boards per game. She ranks second in the ACC and 26th in the nation. Fondren pulls down an average of 5.9 rebounds per contest, which ranks second on the club for the 2014-15 season.

Series Breakdown
For the 53rd time, Syracuse and Pittsburgh will hit the court on Thursday evening in Pittsburgh, Pa. The two teams have met every season since the 1979-80 campaign. Syracuse owns a 33-19 advantage in the all-time series and has won the past six meetings. In addition, the Orange's 33 victories against the Panthers are the most wins it has against any opponent in program history.

In the teams' last meeting, Syracuse scored a 67-36 win against Pittsburgh on Senior Day on Feb. 23, 2014. Brianna Butler recorded four 3-point field goals en route to a 16-point effort, while Briana Day tallied 14 points against the Panthers.

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Players Mentioned

Brianna Butler

Briana Day

Cornelia Fondren

Taylor Ford

Syracuse University Athletics