Jan. 2, 2002

Box Score

(Syracuse) - USF got strong showings from its veteran backcourt and a freshman post player to down Syracuse 61-56 in non-conference women's basketball action Wednesday at Manley Fieldhouse. With the win, the Lady Dons (7-5) won their second straight contest and their first against a Big East foe since the 1996-97 campaign when they downed Saint Johns at War Memorial Gym. Syracuse (7-4) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end against a determined USF defensive effort.

USF trailed 29-27 in the half as both teams struggled shooting the ball in the early going. The contest, originally scheduled for a 2:00 (PT) tip was delayed for two hours when the officiating crew failed to show up as due to a scheduling problem. The two teams combined for just 26 points in the first 10:30 of the contest. Scoreless stretches highlighted the entire contest and neither team scored in the final 2:34 of the first half with the Orangewomen taking a 29-27 lead into the locker room at the intermission.

Junior guard Alicia Hernandez led all scorers in the first half with nine points, while freshman center Corry Berger scored eight. Entering the second half, senior guard Lindsey Huff came alive for the Lady Dons off the bench. After scoring three points in the first half, Huff used nine second half point to spark USF. Huff's 3-pointer with 9:14 remaining gave San Francisco a 48-46 lead and the Lady Dons would not surrender it, despite several Syracuse runs.

USF did not get much assistance from the officiating crew once it did show up and did shoot their first free throw until the 1:48 mark of the second half. Fortunately for San Francisco, the Orangewomen did not take advantage of their opportunities at the charity stripe, converting on just 11-of20.

Hernandez finished with a game-high 15 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes. Berger scored 12 points n 6-of-12 from the floor and pulled down five rebounds, while Huff finished with a dozen and went 3-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. Senior guard Melanie Turner also came off the bench to give the Lad Dons a boost with seven points and five boards in 11 minutes.

USF continues their upstate New York swing with their final non-conference contest of the season against the Big Red of Cornell on Friday. Game time is at 4:00 PM (PT) at Newman Arena.