The Daily OrangeLast-ditch effort for NCAA bid awaits 12-seed Syracuse women's basketball at Big East tournament
By Didier Morais
Posted: 3/5/09, 12:26 AM EST Section: Sports
Since donning a Syracuse jersey, Erica Morrow has never experienced a situation quite like the one she will endure at the 2009 Big East tournament.
During her freshman year at SU last season, Morrow helped catapult the Syracuse women's basketball program into the upper echelon of the Big East, claiming a sixth seed in the conference tournament after leading her team to a 10-6 Big East record. As a result of the high seeding, the Orange garnered a target on its back and ultimately fell in the first round to South Florida.
Now, a year later, the tables have turned on Syracuse. Instead of being the hunted, the Orange has reverted back to the hunters, aspiring to upset its higher-ranked opponents and make an unexpected run through the tournament as a No. 12 seed.
Despite completing a lackluster 5-11 record in the Big East, Morrow hasn't really adjusted to the feeling of being a postseason underdog. Syracuse would likely need to advance deep into the Big East tournament to potentially qualify for the NCAA Tournament. It's taken some time for that tough reality to settle in for the sophomore.
"It's a little different when things aren't expected of you," Morrow said. "It's a lot of pressure off. Coming off of that last season, there was a lot of pressure to do just as good as we did in the regular season. It's different not to have that. But we like it. Just to know that people won't be so surprised if we do good is a compliment to us."
Before reaching that point, Morrow and the 12th-seeded Orange will have to outlast 13th-seeded St. John's at noon Friday in the first round of the Big East tournament in the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
Most of the veteran SU players would love to forget about last year's tournament, when 11th seeded South Florida stunned Syracuse, 68-67, in an overtime thriller.
That disappointment has molded this squad into a redeem team. In spite of this year's regression, the SU players still have the chance to accomplish one thing that the celebrated 2007-08 team couldn't do - win a game in the postseason.
During her freshman year at SU last season, Morrow helped catapult the Syracuse women's basketball program into the upper echelon of the Big East, claiming a sixth seed in the conference tournament after leading her team to a 10-6 Big East record. As a result of the high seeding, the Orange garnered a target on its back and ultimately fell in the first round to South Florida.
Now, a year later, the tables have turned on Syracuse. Instead of being the hunted, the Orange has reverted back to the hunters, aspiring to upset its higher-ranked opponents and make an unexpected run through the tournament as a No. 12 seed.
Despite completing a lackluster 5-11 record in the Big East, Morrow hasn't really adjusted to the feeling of being a postseason underdog. Syracuse would likely need to advance deep into the Big East tournament to potentially qualify for the NCAA Tournament. It's taken some time for that tough reality to settle in for the sophomore.
"It's a little different when things aren't expected of you," Morrow said. "It's a lot of pressure off. Coming off of that last season, there was a lot of pressure to do just as good as we did in the regular season. It's different not to have that. But we like it. Just to know that people won't be so surprised if we do good is a compliment to us."
Before reaching that point, Morrow and the 12th-seeded Orange will have to outlast 13th-seeded St. John's at noon Friday in the first round of the Big East tournament in the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.
Most of the veteran SU players would love to forget about last year's tournament, when 11th seeded South Florida stunned Syracuse, 68-67, in an overtime thriller.
That disappointment has molded this squad into a redeem team. In spite of this year's regression, the SU players still have the chance to accomplish one thing that the celebrated 2007-08 team couldn't do - win a game in the postseason.
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