The Daily OrangeWBB | Despite late scoring drought, Syracuse holds on to edge Lehigh
By Conor Orr
Posted: 12/3/08, 1:42 AM EST Section: Sports
Quentin Hillsman talks often about putting his team through adverse situations in order to strengthen play - a theory that, after eight grueling games and 6,700 miles worth of travel to start the season, came to life Tuesday.
"It's unbelievable," Hillsman said. "You talk about playing that tough and that physical after that many games in a row, that's toughness because that's all effort, heart and conditioning."
The Orange (6-2), powered by Hillsman's gut-check attitude, muscled past Lehigh (5-2) 69-60 Tuesday in the Carrier Dome in front of 423 spectators. The win snapped a four-game winning streak for the Mountain Hawks.
After sustaining a game-long lead aided by uncharacteristically poor Lehigh shooting, it seemed as though Syracuse would be able to coast through the second half. But like they had in previous meetings, the Mountain Hawks mounted a charge. This time the Orange held on, despite scoring one field goal in the game's final 12:49.
Minutes into the second half, Lehigh junior guard Alex Ross nailed her team's second 3-pointer of the night. After a missed 3-pointer from sophomore Erica Morrow, the Mountain Hawks countered once again with a quick inside bucket from senior forward Haly Crites.
All of a sudden, the lead - once 12 - was down to six, and the Orange was in need of what little fuel they had left in the tank.
"When (Lehigh) started running past us and getting things in transition, I knew we had to be tired, because we are definitely more athletic than they are - we definitely needed a time out," Hillsman said.
Syracuse's players responded the way Hillsman had trained them to. The Orange continued to fend off the Hawks with hardnosed basketball, outrebounding them, 48-36, while dominating points in the paint and second-chance points by double-digit margins.
"One thing we do in the preseason, coach is real tough, and he prepares us for times like this," Morrow said. "I think we're a mentally tough team, and it's all about who is going to come out and play the hardest. That's our motto, and I think that's the mentality that all players have."
"It's unbelievable," Hillsman said. "You talk about playing that tough and that physical after that many games in a row, that's toughness because that's all effort, heart and conditioning."
The Orange (6-2), powered by Hillsman's gut-check attitude, muscled past Lehigh (5-2) 69-60 Tuesday in the Carrier Dome in front of 423 spectators. The win snapped a four-game winning streak for the Mountain Hawks.
After sustaining a game-long lead aided by uncharacteristically poor Lehigh shooting, it seemed as though Syracuse would be able to coast through the second half. But like they had in previous meetings, the Mountain Hawks mounted a charge. This time the Orange held on, despite scoring one field goal in the game's final 12:49.
Minutes into the second half, Lehigh junior guard Alex Ross nailed her team's second 3-pointer of the night. After a missed 3-pointer from sophomore Erica Morrow, the Mountain Hawks countered once again with a quick inside bucket from senior forward Haly Crites.
All of a sudden, the lead - once 12 - was down to six, and the Orange was in need of what little fuel they had left in the tank.
"When (Lehigh) started running past us and getting things in transition, I knew we had to be tired, because we are definitely more athletic than they are - we definitely needed a time out," Hillsman said.
Syracuse's players responded the way Hillsman had trained them to. The Orange continued to fend off the Hawks with hardnosed basketball, outrebounding them, 48-36, while dominating points in the paint and second-chance points by double-digit margins.
"One thing we do in the preseason, coach is real tough, and he prepares us for times like this," Morrow said. "I think we're a mentally tough team, and it's all about who is going to come out and play the hardest. That's our motto, and I think that's the mentality that all players have."
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