Junior forwards Juanita Ward and Nicole Michael didn’t waste any time going after Niagara Sunday. Four minutes in, Ward stole a cutting pass at half court and drove down the length of the floor, capping the play off with a smooth jumper for the team’s first basket.

On the next offensive possession, junior forward Nicole Michael jumped over her defender to grab an inbound pass underneath her basket and hit a fading put-back in the face of two Purple Eagles.

‘It feels great,’ Michael said of the early scoring charge. ‘It feels good to come out and play intense, just play our game, play hard.’

Ward, who led the Orange (8-2) with 20 points, and Michael, who chipped in with 18, anchored an Orange attack that completely marauded an undersized Niagara team (1-8) en route to a 93-54 victory at the Carrier Dome Sunday. The two also combined for 18 rebounds in the team’s third consecutive victory.

The win showcased what has been somewhat of a trademark for the Orange of late, trading in its patented speed-first game for a more physically dominating game relying on the inside presence of Ward and Michael.

The juniors were able to bully around a considerably smaller Niagara team, easing into the post, using the intermediate game to pace the team.

‘Having (Nicole) in the game with myself is a big presence,’ Ward said. ‘People are deciding that they’re going to block out (Nicole), or they’re going to block out myself , and it’s unbelievable. …Having her and myself going for a rebound – you’re taking a chance there.’

The two, combined with junior forward Vionca Murray and rapidly-progressing freshmen Tyler Ash and Troya Berry, doubled the Purple Eagles’ output in the paint, outscoring Niagara, 44-22, down low. The Orange also succeeded in outscoring Niagara, 21-9, in second-chance points – statistics which have led the Orange to out-rebound every opponent it has faced all season.

‘We’re very strong, and we’re very physical,’ SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. ‘I don’t think any team we play that we won or lost against can say that we’re not a very physical team and that we don’t play hard.’

Hillsman said the key to winning games like the Orange has lately correlates with the amount of fresh players he has coming off the bench – a theory he put to work Sunday, subbing 41 times in the first half alone.

One of those substitutions came with high anticipation, as freshman point guard Lynnae Lampkins made her highly anticipated debut after participating in her first practice Saturday. The freshman recently gained academic eligibility.

Lampkins, despite going 0 for 7 from the floor, led the team with 6 assists, also notching two steals in a role that saw her almost immediately taking charge of a brand new offense.

While spreading the floor with Lampkins, the Orange strung- out Niagara, forcing a season-high 31 turnovers.

With 12 minutes to go and the Orange comfortably ahead by 29, senior guard Chandrea Jones picked off another Niagara pass and drove toward paint. As multiple defenders draped on Jones, Ward cut into the low block, finding empty space and room to bank in a lay-up after a swift no-look pass from Jones.

The points capped an 8-0 run comprised only of points by Jones.

‘I have to give thanks to my team (for the run),’ Jones said. ‘It wasn’t just me scoring those eight points it was just a help to my team getting in those open spots, coach said just keep cutting and you’ll get into those open spots.

Although Hillsman said there are many things his team still has to improve on, the strong win gives the Orange a mental advantage heading into a daunting Big East schedule looming just three weeks away.

‘We look comfortable with each other,’ Michael said. ‘Everyone is scoring, everyone is getting good minutes so I feel as a team we’re doing great right now.’

ctorr@syr.edu

Published on December 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm