Sophomore center Kayla Alexander led all scorers with 26 points, including the first seven of the game for the Orange, as -/rv Syracuse beat Monmouth 77-53 in the first round of the WNIT at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse improved its record to 23-9 and is now 18-2 at home this season. The Orange has won 40 consecutive home games. The victory improves Syracuse's WNIT record to 5-2 in the past three tournaments.
Syracuse will host St. Bonaventure in the second round of the WNIT on Monday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse shot 54.7 from the field, marking the third consecutive game it has hit better than 40 percent from the field. It is the Orange's second-best shooting performance this season. SU shot 55.9 percent against Saint Francis in December. SU outscored Monmouth 26-4 in the paint and 14-2 on second chance points.
Five players, including Alexander, Carmen Tyson-Thomas (15 points), Iasia Hemmingway (15 points), Elashier Hall (11 pts.) and Shakeya Leary (10 pts.) scored in double figures for the Orange. Alexander also paced Syracuse on the boards with nine rebounds, while Hemmingway contributed eight rebounds and six assists.
After Monmouth opened an 11-point lead 12 minutes into the game, Syracuse outscored the Hawks 20-11 in the final eight minutes of the first half and went into the lockerroom trailing by just two, 33-31. During that stretch, Tyson-Thomas scored eight points, including two three-point field goals.
The Orange quickly took control of the game in the second half. With 18:07 remaining in the game, Alexander hit a layup to give Syracuse a 36-35 lead with 18:07 left in the game and the Orange did not trail again. Syracuse quickly extended its lead to 15, 54-39, on a layup by Alexander with 11 minutes remaining.
Syracuse's defense dominated in the second half, holding the Hawks to just 14.3 percent shooting from the field. Syracuse held Monmouth to 29.3 percent from the field in the game.
