#17 Orange, #7/6 Cardinals Meet in Semifinals

No. 17/17 Syracuse (24-6) vs. No. 7/6 Louisville (25-6)
Game Details: Saturday, March 5, 2016 | 2:30 p.m.
Location: Greensboro Coliseum | Greensboro, N.C.
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Audio | Video | @CuseWBB Twitter
Television: ESPNU
Game Notes: Syracuse

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The No. 17/17 Syracuse University women's basketball team will take on No. 7/6 Louisville in the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Saturday's contest will be televised on ESPNU and Beth Mowins (pbp) and Debbie Antonelli (analyst) will be on the call. Brian Higgins '04 (pbp) will be on the call live on the Syracuse IMG Sports Network. As always, follow @CuseWBB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

In their last game, Syracuse defeated NC State, 80-61, on March 4 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. Behind a team-high 18 points from All-ACC performer Alexis Peterson, the Orange advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time as a league member.

Louisville enters Saturday's contest with a 25-6 overall record. The Cardinals were ranked No. 6 nationally in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the country in the Associated Press Poll. The team is coming off a 60-50 victory against Georgia Tech on March 4 in Greensboro, N.C.

Success Against the Best
Under head coach Quentin Hillsman, the Orange have defeated at least one opponent ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press Poll every season since 2007-08. Syracuse's last victory against a nationally-ranked foe was an 83-73 victory against No. 10/9 Florida State on Feb. 18.

This season, Syracuse has defeated three nationally ranked foes (No. 12/12 Duke, No. 16/17 Miami, and No. 10/9 Florida State. That matches the program record set by the 2001-02 squad.

Syracuse has knocked off the No. 6 team in the nation twice during Hillsman's tenure. Those two wins mark the highest-ranked foes the Orange have beaten under Hillsman. SU defeated No. 6/6 Ohio State, 75-66, in 2010 and No. 6/6 North Carolina, 78-73, in 2014.

The Orange defeated No. 2/2 Connecticut, 62-59, at Manley Field House on Jan. 2, 1996. To date, that marks the highest-ranked opponent Syracuse has defeated in program history.

Last Time Out
Syracuse advanced to the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament for the first time in program history with a stunning 80-61 victory over -/RV NC State on March 4 in the Greensboro Coliseum.

Syracuse topped NC State for a second time this season, having faced the Wolfpack in regular-season conference play. The Wolfpack topped Boston College in the second round to advance to the quarterfinals to face the No. 3 seed Orange.

NC State took the lead from Syracuse with seven minutes left to play in the third quarter, but junior guard Alexis Peterson and senior forward Taylor Ford hit five triples in as many possessions for the Orange, retaking the lead for good. Despite getting into foul trouble early in the fourth quarter, Peterson led Syracuse with 18 points on the night.

Five Orange players scored in the double digits including Peterson. Senior guard Brianna Butler notched 17 points, while redshirt junior guard Brittney Sykes had 15 points. Ford and senior guard Cornelia Fondren recorded 10 points each.

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

Brianna Butler

Cornelia Fondren

Taylor Ford

Alexis Peterson

Brittney Sykes

Syracuse University Athletics