University of Louisville
SYRACUSE
No. 8 Women’s Basketball Begins ACC Play with No. 25 Syracuse
December 28, 2016 | Women's Basketball
The Cardinals and Orange play on Thursday on ACC Network Extra at 7 p.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 8 University of Louisville women's basketball team begins Atlantic Coast Conference play on Thursday, when it welcomes 25th-ranked Syracuse to the KFC Yum! Center at 7 p.m.
The Dec. 29 game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) calling the action. Louisville's radio broadcast can be heard on WKRD 790 AM, featuring Nick Curran (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst).
The Cardinals (12-2) have been idle – like Syracuse – since Dec. 21, when the team won its sixth-consecutive contest. Louisville beat Vanderbilt, which was receiving votes at the time, 78-66 in Nashville. The Cardinals shot 47.1 percent from the field, limited the Commodores to 31.3 percent shooting, and scored 48 points in the paint.
Myisha Hines-Allen led all scorers with 24 points to go with a career-best 15 rebounds, logging her fourth double-double of the season in the victory. Asia Durr added 16 points, Briahanna Jackson had nine points with six assists, and Mariya Moore finished a game-best eight assists.
Durr has remained the Cardinals' leading scorer, averaging 17.3 points. She has knocked down 48 3-pointers, second most nationally, and ranks in the top 15 in the country with 88 field goals. Hines-Allen in climbing toward double-double numbers, producing 12.1 points and 8.5 rebounds, and Moore is Louisville's only other double-digit scorer at 10.8 points. Jackson has team highs in assists (69) and steals (28).
As a team, Louisville it outscoring its opponents by a 20.3 points and holding foes to 35.2 percent shooting. The Cardinals are averaging 19.1 assists, 11th most nationally, and forcing 21.7 turnovers per contest, 21st best in the country.
Syracuse (9-4) had its five-game winning streak snapped last time out, falling to Texas A&M 105-84 on Dec. 21 in the final game of the Florida Sunshine Classic. The Orange shot 40.7 percent from the field, connecting on just 7-of-32 3-pointers. Syracuse scored 21 second-chance points and tallied 46 in the paint. Texas A&M made 34 of its 40 trips to the free throw line and hit 60.0 percent of its field goals.
Alexis Peterson scored a game-high 34 points on 14-of-24 shooting. Brittney Sykes registered 19 points, but went 8 of 24 from the field. Briana Day tallied a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, Gabby Cooper added 12 points, and Desiree Elmore scored the bench's only three points. Danni Williams had 30 points for the Aggies.
Through 13 games, Peterson is pacing the team in scoring (22.9), 3-pointers (33), free throws (51), assists (86), and steals (42). Sykes is averaging 18.0 points on 51.9 percent shooting to go with 8.2 rebounds, and Day boasts 13.2 points and a team-leading 8.8 rebounds.
Collectively, Syracuse ranks second in turnover margin (plus-9.69) and sixth in 3-point field goals per game (9.7) and offensive rebounds per game (18.0).
SERIES HISTORY – Syracuse vs. Louisville
Louisville leads Syracuse 8-6 in the all-time series, boasting a 5-1 advantage in Louisville. The Cardinals have won two of the last three meetings.
The programs played twice last year, with the Cardinals earning a 71-53 regular-season victory in Syracuse. The Orange then defeated the Cardinals 80-75 in the ACC Tournament. Louisville shot 42.9 percent from the field, while Syracuse totaled 21 points on 16 Louisville turnovers and outscored the Cardinals 18-13 in the final period.
Myisha Hines-Allen scored a game-high 27 points to go with 12 rebounds, while Asia Durr added 23 points. Briahanna Jackson totaled 18 points and nine rebounds. Alexis Peterson led Syracuse with 19 points, and Cornelia Fondren had 18.
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GAME FACTS – Syracuse at Louisville
Date: Thursday, Dec. 29
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: KFC Yum! Center/Crum Court (22,000), Louisville, Ky.
Television: ACC Network Extra will broadcast the game, with Don Russell (play-by-play) and Sara White (analyst) calling the action.
Radio: WKRD 790 AM will broadcast the game, with Nick Curran (play-by-play) and Adrienne Johnson (analyst) calling the action.
Series History: Louisville leads the all-time series 8-6 (5-1 in Louisville, 3-4 in Syracuse, 0-1 neutral). Syracuse defeated Louisville 80-75 on March 5, 2016, in Greensboro, N.C.
Next UofL Game: Monday, Jan. 2 at No. 15 Duke, Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, N.C., 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
