#11/18 Syracuse Heads to Gulf Coast Showcase

No. 11/18 Syracuse (3-1, 0-0) vs. George Washington (3-1, 0-0)
Game Details: Friday, Nov. 25 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Germain Arena | Estero, Fla.
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Audio | Video | @CuseWBB Twitter
Game Notes: Syracuse | George Washington

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 11/18 Syracuse women's basketball travels to Estero, Fla. for the Gulf Coast Showcase. Syracuse opens up tournament play against 2016 NCAA Tournament participant George Washington on Friday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Germain Arena.

Brian Higgins '04 will be on the call live on the Syracuse IMG Sports Network. As always, follow @CuseWBB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

Syracuse enters Friday's game with a 3-1 overall record. In their last outing, the Orange suffered its first loss of the 2016-17 season, a 62-61 defeat at the hands of Drexel on Nov. 21. Redshirt senior guard Brittney Sykes tallied a season-best 21 points in the loss to the Dragons.

George Washington owns a 3-1 overall mark heading into the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Colonials are coming off a 72-69 victory in their latest matchup on Nov. 20. Senior forward Caira Washington leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game for the 2016-17 campaign.

America's Best Backcourt
It's been a long road back to the top for redshirt senior guard Brittney Sykes, following two season-ending injuries, but after a strong postseason in 2016 Sykes has reestablished herself among the country's elite talents.

Guard Alexis Peterson took a back seat as a freshman, averaging a mere 3.0 points and 1.0 rebound per contest. She emerged as the team's top scorer following Sykes' first season-ending injury, earning All-ACC honors as a sophomore.

The 2015-16 campaign marked the return of Sykes, but also the first time the two would truly play together. It took some time for the pair to click, but in the final 18 games of the season their potential was on full display. Peterson (17.3) and Sykes (12.1) combined to score more than 40 percent of the team's total points in its final 18 contests, helping the squad to 16 victories.

After its run to the 2016 NCAA Tournament final, Syracuse is on the national map. Now, Peterson and Sykes are ready to show the country they are America's best backcourt.

Not Seeing Double
Senior center Bria Day gives Syracuse another solid option at the center position. Last season, Day played in all but one contest, averaging 2.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest.

Day put together one of her best performances of her collegiate career in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament against Albany on March 20. With her twin sister, Briana, in early foul trouble, Day guided Syracuse to its first trip to the Sweet 16. Day notched 10 rebounds in a career-high 28 minutes played.

The Raleigh, N.C. native has been a consistent shot blocker for the Orange in her collegiate career. Entering the 2016-17 season, she was 27 blocked shots shy of moving into 10th place on the Syracuse all-time blocks list.

Prior to deciding to concentrate solely on basketball, Day was one of the top track and field athletes in the state of North Carolina. Day finished in fifth place in the high jump competition at the 2005 USATF Youth Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

Bria Day

Alexis Peterson

Brittney Sykes

Syracuse University Athletics