Feb. 26, 2008
Syracuse, N.Y. - Syracuse University's Erica Morrow hit an improbable three-pointer with 25 seconds left to give the Orange a 68-67 lead and the Orange held on over visiting Georgetown University in an exciting BIG EAST Conference women's basketball game on Tuesday night inside the Carrier Dome. Syracuse trailed 67-65 with under 30 seconds to go and had the basketball. Morrow worked off a screen and launched a ball from the left wing. Morrow's shot hit the back iron went straight up into the air, above the shot clock and right back down through the hoop with the deciding basket. Georgetown (14-13, 4-10 BE) received career-highs from junior transfers Karee Houlette and Krystle Hatton, who both came off the bench for 12 and 11 points, respectively. Aminata Diop netted 12 points for the Hoyas while Meredith Cox tallied 10 in the losing effort. It is the seventh straight game that Diop tallied in double figures. Sophomore guard Shanice Fuller totaled eight point and six assists. "It was a great basketball game, the kids played extremely hard," said Georgetown head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "Watching Morrow's shot go in was hard but it was even tougher to give up a 10-point lead with nine minutes to go. Both teams made some runs but give Syracuse credit." THe Hoyas led 58-47 with 9:13 remaining. Syracuse (21-6, 9-5 BE) came into the game ranked No. 24 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The first half was well played and saw SU take a 39-36 lead into the locker rooms. The game saw nine lead changes and five ties in the first half and both teams were shooting better than 45 percent from the floor.
Six different Hoyas scored in the opening eight minutes as GU held a 16-15 lead. Syracuse started 5-6 from three-point range and tied the game at 21-21 on Chandrea Jones' second three-pointer of the half. Karee Houlette connected on her second trey of the night to give the Hoyas a 26-25 lead with 7:41 to go in the half. The team's combined to start 9-17 from behind the arch through the first 13 minutes. SU took a 33-29 edge on a transition layup by Chandrea Jones with 5:11 to go in the half. Hatton scored three of GU's final four buckets of the half and matched her career high with eight points in the first half. Georgetown started the second half with four offensive rebounds and took a 44-43 lead with 15:12 left on a dribble drive layup by Shanice Fuller. Houlette hit a long three from the left wing for a 50-44 Hoya lead at 13:10 and then after an Orange miss, Fuller grabbed a long rebound and went coast to coast scoring a layup to give the Hoyas a 52-45 lead with 12:41 remaining. The Orange then went scoreless for four minutes and the Hoyas went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 57-45 with 10:53 to go. Houlette set a new career high at 12 points with a old-fashioned three-point play at 10:53. Syracuse went on a mini-run to claw to within 64-59 on a Nicole Michael layup with 4:11 left. On the next Orange possession, Michael hit a trey and Georgetown led 64-62 with 3:30 left. Morrow scored eight of the Orange's final 11 points and finished with a game-high 22, including 4-6 from long range. Georgetown plays its final home game of the season on Saturday, March 1 against Providence inside McDonough Arena. The Georgetown Athletic Department will recognize the quartet of Aminata Diop, Kristin Heidloff, Kieraah Marlow and Brina Pollack who will be playing in their final home game on the Hilltop. |
