The Best Syracuse Women's Basketball Team, Historically-Speaking

Sorry fellas.  Your 12-0 start is nice but there's nothing all that historically-important about it.  The ladies, on the other hand, are making history all over the place.  The Orange defeated Rider last night 67-46 for the best start in school history.

With a 67-46 win over Rider Monday evening, the Syracuse women’s basketball team made history by starting the season 11-0 — good for the program’s best start ever. The Orange broke the 35-year-old record of the 1974-75 team, which won its first 10 games of the season.

In order to do that, however, Syracuse had to overcome its first halftime deficit of the season. Down 31-28 at the half, the Orange held the Broncs to just 15.4 percent (4-26) shooting in the second half, controlled the inside, and dominated the fast break, 12-0. It was the ninth time this season that SU held its opponent below 40 percent shooting from the field.

It wasn't pretty but it was a win and that might just be the story of the season for this team.  The Orange have been getting production not just from the upperclass(wo)men but also from the younglings as well.

Three Syracuse players scored in double-figures, including junior guard Erica Morrow and sophomore guard Tyler Ash, who each contributed 12 points apiece. Morrow also matched her career-high with nine rebounds, while Ash registerd a career-best in points. Freshman guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas recorded her first career double-double with career-high in points with 11 and rebounds with 13. She led all players with seven offensive boards, paired with a team-high two steals.

Folks are excited.  Coach Q is excited.  And it was Coach Q's halftime speech that seemed to propel the Orange to victory in the 2nd half:

"I said, really, I’m a little scared. They didn’t believe me, so I said, Vionca (Murray) check my pulse," Hillsman said. "She said, ‘Your heart’s beating really fast.’ (That’s because) for the first time I could look in their eyes and see, ‘Oh my goodness, can we come back and turn it up and get it taken care of?’ Obviously, ending the game with a 15-0 run, we turned it up and got it taken care of."

The ladies have one more "gimme" against New Hampshire before the real tests begin with a visit from Georgetown.