THE P OST-STA N DAR D su nday, a pr i l 1 0, 20 1 6

hearts of

The men and women

from Syracuse
University
surprised doubters
in the college
basketball world
with parallel trips
to their Final Fours

INSIDE
Surprising successes
were gifts to the fans. R-2

Shining moments from

the two tournaments. R-4, R-8

Primetime players
on both squads. R-6, R-10-11

Turning points of the

regular seasons. R-5, R-9

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PAGE R-2 The POST-STANDARD Sunday, April 10, 2016
Coach Quentin Hillsman celebrates as he cuts the net following his teams victory over
Tennessee, 89-67. The win in Sioux Falls, S.D., sent the Syracuse University women to the
Final Four of womens college basketball. (AP Photo / Nati Harnik)
Coach Jim Boeheim holds up the net after his Orange men beat Virginia in an Elite 8
NCAA Tournament game at the United Center in Chicago. The 68-62 win sent SU to the
Final Four for the sixth time in school history. (Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com)
TWO SURPRISE
GIFTS WRAPPED
IN ORANGE
I
t was the best kind of gift.
Unexpected and unique, a
rare and impossible-to-rep-
licate bounty of basketball.
It came in the form of gold
shoes and wispy mustaches,
custom eyewear and three
goggles, a sting from losses
that will fade and a glow
from memories that never
will.
The Syracuse mens bas-
ketball team celebrated its
freedom from NCAA inves-
tigation by reaching the Final
Four for the sixth time in pro-
gram history. The womens
team, long unable to grow in
the shadow of the successful
men, climbed to new heights
by reaching its first.
Together, they made
Syracuse the ninth school in
the country to send teams to
Final Fours during the same
year, centering the attention
of the college basketball
world on Central New York
and providing ammunition to
the argument that the Carrier
Dome serves as a basketball
mecca.
The men were underdogs
from their opener against
Dayton. If they survived that,
theyd fall against Michigan
State. A difficult season
would come to a matter-of-
fact close. While more was
expected from the women,
their game is dominated by
titans, and the guard-oriented
Orange had South Carolina
standing in its path.
It was Syracuse, however,
whose journey perpetually
continued, against all odds
and expectations, and some-
times against logic and rea-
son. The men staged a pair
of epic comebacks against
Gonzaga and Virginia. The
women rolled through leg-
endary South Carolina coach
Dawn Staley and legendary
program Tennessee.
Orange basketball took us
from Syracuse and St. Louis
to Sioux Falls and Chicago,
and ultimately, to Houston
and Indianapolis, captivating
along the way and pulling
in new believers with every
unlikely win.
The CNY community rallied behind
these gritty players and coaches
as they made history
national record for 3-pointers
CHRIS CARLSON
ccarlson@syracuse.com
in a season.
We responded by gathering
for a pep rally to send them
on their way, and turning the
city into a celebration of their
efforts.
The streets, bars and res-
taurants filled with orange
and blue. Politicians flocked
to the teams to cling to
Their success, as it so fre- their coattails. Orange and
quently does, shook a city blue lights shone from the
from its wintery slumber National Grid building to the
and unified a community for World Trade Center.
nearly a month, breaking a Mens coach Jim Boeheim
hibernation and cloaking a shook off a nine-game sus-
city in orange and blue. pension and the blame from
These two teams, after all, the NCAA, reminding us of
were easy to rally behind. his coaching acumen with
The players on the mens his most unexpected run yet.
team were innocent victims, With the worst of the sanc-
enduring punishment from tions behind the program, it
the NCAA for the misplaced was a reminder that Syracuse
priorities of others within the basketball is here to stay.
program. The players on the Womens coach Quentin
womens team were over- Hillsman won with a fast-
looked, their games attended paced pressing style, eschew-
by fewer fans than nearly any ing basketball logic by hoist-
other major sports school. ing 3-pointers with little con-
They endured it all without cern about shooting percent-
complaint. ages. With the teams best run
Brianna Butler and Maggie yet, it was a signal to college
Morrison, Trevor Cooney basketball that another threat
and Michael Gbinije, veteran is blooming in Syracuse.
leaders well aware of their Eventually the mens team
critics, lashed out with little ran into North Carolina, the
more than a Gbinije motto we dominant team in its confer-
could all stand to learn from: ence, a collection of size and
Thanks for the motivation. skill that the Orange couldnt
Malachi Richardson out-scrap. The women fell
charmed the region with his to one of the most dominant
bushy hair, beautiful smile programs in college sports
and brimming confidence. history, a UConn team with
Alexis Peterson was his four consecutive national
equal, standing only 5-foot-7, titles.
yet slicing through defenders The ending came like it
far larger. always does, with tears and
A pair of Syracuse women red eyes, sad faces slumped
showcased their physical on wooden stools. But it also
toughness, appearing to pop ended with Vice President
dislocated shoulders back into Joe Biden telling the men
place during their run, while how proud theyd made him,
Cooney displayed the men- and Hillsman showing us the
tal version, saving his best same, kissing Sykes forehead
stretch of basketball for the as she left the court for the
final moments of his career. final time this year.
Tyler Lydon showcased his Their seasons didnt end
youthful mustache, drained perfectly. Life rarely does.
a 3-pointer while wearing But along the way they gave
one shoe and delivered a us memories that will last
game-winning block against for years. They gave us far
Gonzaga. Brianna Butler more than we ever could have
became Three-ana, setting a asked.
 Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-3

tions
Congratulans and
Me
to the SU asketball
B
Womens on a
te s
a m
on!
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9 SHINING
MOMENTS
SCENES ALONG THE ROAD TO THE NCAA FINAL FOUR
Tyler Roberson leaps for a rebound
against Dayton in the tourney opener.
1
(Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com)
Robersons
rebounds
In the Midwest Regional
opener in St. Louis, No. 10
seed Syracuse held No. 7
Dayton to a season-low 51
points. A major factor in that
70-51 Orange victory was
a superior effort by Tyler
Roberson, who collected 18
rebounds.
Roberson, a 6-8 junior
forward, had earlier been
the target of criticism
by coach Jim Boeheim
because of a lackluster
stretch of games before the
NCAA Tournament.
This day, Roberson
grabbed eight offensive
and 10 defensive rebounds,
helping the Orange win
the rebounding battle with
Dayton, 48-28.
It was just reaction, just
going after it, trying to look
for openings where I can
rebound, Roberson said. It
just happened for me. I was
playing hard.
Coach Boeheim said, Its
really a huge key for us ... he
was tremendous tonight.
2
Gbinijes sharp
shooting
Middle Tennessee, the
No. 15 seed that had upset
No. 2 Michigan State, was
stubbornly sticking close
to Syracuse, trailing by four
points with just under 15 min-
utes remaining. Senior guard
Michael Gbinije concluded it
was his time to make a dif-
ference.
When the Blue Raiders
point guard went to the
bench with four fouls, Gbinije
worked his way to the free-
throw line, elevated and
sank a jumper over a smaller
defender. Next trip down the
floor, he repeated the pro-
cess. Two possessions later,
he nailed a 3-pointer from
the corner.
In the 75-50 win, Gbinije
scored 23 points on 10-for-14
shooting.
The difference was when
Mike got going, Boeheim
said. That was the only dif-
ference in the game. Mike,
he made two tough turn-
arounds, nice touches. And
then he made that corner 3
and that really was it right
there.
Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-4
3 4
Gbinijes Cooneys
putback steal denied
Syracuse trailed Gonzaga by nine The Orange had just taken a 61-60 lead over Gonzaga in
points with just over six minutes remain- the final minute and was trying to protect its lead to advance
to the Elite 8. Gonzagas Josh Perkins drove under the basket
ing in their Sweet 16 matchup. Then the and attempted a pass to a teammate in the corner, but Trevor
Orange went on a 25-6 surge, using a Cooney stepped in front of the pass. As Cooney hunched over
defensive, full-court press to force turn- to protect the ball, a referee signaled that Cooneys toe had
overs by the Zags. The key player was gone out of bounds. Although replays showed Cooney never
Michael Gbinije, who scored 20 points, touched the end line, NCAA rules prohibited a review of the
mainly on drives into the lane. call, which gave Gonzaga one final possession with 11.2 sec-
onds remaining.
With 24 seconds left and the Orange
5
trailing by one, Gbinije drove and
attempted a layup that missed its mark.
Under the basket, teammate Tyler
Roberson tipped the ball back to Gbinije,
who grabbed it and quickly scored off
the backboard for a 61-60 lead.
Lydons
clutch
block
Tyler Lydon led the Orange during the season with 67
blocked shots, the third-highest total ever for a Syracuse
freshman.
And over the course of five games in the NCAA
Tournament, Lydon registered 20 blocks, which is an SU
record for the tourney.
But the most significant of those blocks came in the
Oranges third game, with a spot among the Elite 8 in
Chicago on the line.
Late in the game, with his team leading by just one point,
Lydon stood in the lane with Josh Perkins of Gonzaga
heading toward him. As Perkins rose to launch a floater
with 2 seconds remaining, Lydon jumped, stretched and
knocked the attempt off target. Then Lydon grabbed the
ball, was fouled and made two free throws to secure the
63-60 victory.
6 Lydons
one-shoed shot
Tyler Lydon plays without a left shoe. (AP Photo / Charles
Rex Arbogast)
With Syracuse trailing 30-18 during the Midwest
Regional final against Virginia, Tyler Lydon collided
with an opponent. One of Lydons size 13 shoes
became dislodged and fell to the floor. Michael
Gbinije scooped up the shoe and tossed it toward
the sideline. Then he rewarded Lydon with a pass
near the top of the circle. Lydon proceeded to take
and make a 3-point shot.
I was open, Lydon said.
8
Tyler Lydon jumps high to block a shot by
Gonzagas Josh Perkins in the closing seconds
of a Sweet 16 matchup in Chicago. (AP Photo / Nam Gbinijes
Y. Huh) consoling
words
Richardsons A distraught London Perrantes, Virginias standout
21-point half guard, sat alone on the Cavaliers bench as the Syracuse
7
players celebrated their 68-62 win to advance to the Final
Malachi Richardson spent the second Four. Perrantes, who scored 18 points in a brilliant perfor-
half of the Midwest Regional final mance, sat with his head lowered into his hands.
against Virginia shouting, They cant Michael Gbinije, Syracuses senior guard, sought out
guard me! The brash freshman was Perrantes after the game.
on his way to a capping a spectacular 21-point I specifically wanted to talk to him and (Malcolm)
second half and sealing his teams improbable Brogdon after the game, Gbinije said. You know, show
Malachi Richardson drives for two push into the Final Four. respect. He noticed that Perrantes hadnt gone through
of his 21 second-half points against the line to shake hands with his opponents after the game.
In the first half, Richardson was 0-for-5 over-
Virginia. (Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@ He was still sitting on the bench. When I went through
all and committed three turnovers. Coach Jim
syracuse.com) Boeheim told him at halftime he had to perform the line, I saw him and thats when I decided to talk to
better. him.
The NCAA tweeted out a photo of Gbinije standing over
The first time Richardson touched the ball in
Perrantes with his hand on his shoulder in a picture of
the second half, he attacked the rim, drew a foul sportsmanship.
and swished two free throws. He sank shots after I know its tough, Gbinije said later. Ive been in losing
that. He drove the ball again. At one point, after positions before. I felt for him a little bit.
SU finally wrestled the lead from the Cavaliers, Once he went over to Perrantes, Gbinije said he kept his
Richardson somehow grabbed an offensive comments brief.
rebound over 7-footer Mike Tobey. Richardson I came over to him and said Good game. Youre a good
displayed the ball, Tobey went for the fake and player, Gbinije said. He was caught up in the game. After
Richardson finished inside. I said that, I just kinda let him be.
9
SU, by then, led 64-58.
Cooneys
final push
Trevor Cooney, in his last game in
a Syracuse uniform, played brilliantly.
Against North Carolina in a national
semifinal, he scored a game-high 22
points on 9-for-18 shooting. He made
4-of-8 shots from 3-point range. He also
had five rebounds and three steals. He
played 39 minutes.
Syracuse had fallen behind 57-40
with just 12:28 left in its season. Cooney
and the Orange, as they had through-
out the postseason, mounted one final
push. Cooney hit a 3-pointer, then stole
the ball at the top of the 2-3 zone and
Above, Syracuses Michael Gbinije
consoles Virginias London Perrantes.
finished a breakaway dunk. It was the
start of a 10-0 run that kindled hopes of
Left, Michael Gbinije celebrates after another stirring comeback, until Marcus
making a basket against Middle Tennessee Paige stopped the surge with a 3-point-
in the second round of the NCAA er for North Carolina.
Tournament. (AP Photo / Charlie Riedel) I wouldnt trade this run or my career
for anything, Cooney said. To go out
with this team really means the world
to me.
 Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-5

2015-16 results: 23-14

se a son Home games in orange, away games in black

TURNING POINTS
and neutral sites in blue.

NOVEMBER
13 SU 57, Lehigh 47
17 SU 79, St. Bonaventure 66
21 SU 66, Elon 55
25 SU 83, Charlotte 70
26 SU 79, UConn 76
Nov. 27 27 SU 74, Texas A&M 67
SU 74, Texas A&M 67
DECEMBER
The Orange, unranked at the seasons start, captured 2 Wisconsin 66, SU 58
the Battle 4 Atlantis championship in the Bahamas with 5 Georgetown 79, SU 72
three victories over three days, including wins over No. 18
8 SU 78, Colgate 51
Connecticut and No. 25 Texas A&M. Freshmen Tyler Lydon
and Malachi Richardson were composed and effective, 13 St. Johns 84, SU 72
while senior Michael Gbinije made 12 3-pointers in the tour- 19 SU 67, Cornell 46
nament. The next AP poll ranked SU at No. 14. 22 SU 82, Montana State 60
Everybodys still focused, Gbinije said. The 27 SU 80, Texas Southern 67
No. 14 ranking is nice, but now that weve got it, 30 Pittsburgh 72, SU 61
we just want to move up higher, and in order to
j an u ar y
do that weve got to continue to win games.
2 Miami 64, SU 51
5 Clemson 74, SU 73 OT
Dec. 13
9 North Carolina 84, SU 73
St. Johns 84, SU 72
13 SU 62, Boston College 40
Syracuse suffered its third loss in a four-game stretch,
16 SU 83, Wake Forest 66
The Syracuse University basketball team defeated Duke 64-62 in Cameron 18 SU 64, Duke 62
shooting just 5-for-26 from 3-point range at Madison Square Indoor Stadium on Jan. 18. Syracuse forward Tyler Roberson had 20 rebounds.
Garden while St. Johns scored on 12 of its 24 3-point (Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com) 24 Virginia 73, SU 65
attempts. Jim Boeheim sat out the third game of his nine- 28 SU 81, Notre Dame 66
game NCAA suspension, leaving the sideline duties to head
coach-designate Mike Hopkins. Many considered the loss Jan. 28 30 SU 60, Georgia Tech 57
to St. Johns, which won just one more game the entire sea- SU 81, Notre Dame 66
son and finished 8-24 overall, a disqualifying factor for the f ebr u ar y
Oranges NCAA hopes. 2 SU 68, Virginia Tech 60 OT
Syracuse took control early with a 23-1 run and never let No. 25 Notre Dame back
What it comes down to with us is, its our shoot- into the game at the Carrier Dome. Trevor Cooney led the Orange with 22 points, 11 SU 85, Florida State 72
while Tyler Lydon, Malachi Richardson and Michael Gbinije each had 15. It was SUs 14 SU 75, Boston College 61
ing, Hopkins said. Thats kind of been the story fourth win over a ranked opponent. 17 Louisville 72, SU 58
line of this season. ... Weve been living and 20 Pittsburgh 66, SU 52
dying by the three. Im just trying to make the right play out there, said freshman
Lydon. Its a learning process. ... Sometimes I feel like Im there and 27 SU 75, NC State 66
29 North Carolina 75, SU 70
Jan. 18 then I question myself whether Im open or not. Its just a matter of
SU 64, Duke 62 me overthinking some things in my game. Ive just got to go out and march
play. 5 Florida State 78, SU 73
Jim Boeheim returned to the sidelines Jan. 9 with a loss 9 Pittsburgh 72, SU 71
to North Carolina, but followed with victories over Boston 18 SU 70, Dayton 51
College and Wake Forest. Then came the only meeting of March 9 20 SU 75, Middle Tennessee
the year with No. 20 Duke, at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
SUs Tyler Roberson finished with a career-high 20
Pittsburgh 72, SU 71 State 50
rebounds against the Blue Devils and added 14 points as 25 SU 63, Gonzaga 60
the Orange held on for a thrilling victory. The win was cited For the third time in the season, the Orange lost to Pitt, but this time it was in the
27 SU 68, Virginia 62
as one of the major reasons for SU to be included in the ACC Tournament and it amounted to the fifth loss in the teams last six games of the
NCAA Tournament. season. Trevor Cooney, who scored 24 points, took a last-second shot that bounced apr i l
off the rim, deflating hopes that SU would be named an at-large team in the NCAA
He came to play, definitely. He gave it all that he Tournament. Many pundits reacted to the late-season swoon and quick ACC exit by 2 North Carolina 83, SU 66
had, senior Michael Gbinije said of Roberson. dropping Syracuse from their bracket projections.

He was just a rebounding machine. He was that I have them out and theyre going to stay out, wrote ESPNs Joe
inside presence that we needed tonight. Lunardi. Bottom line is ... not good enough.

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 Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-6

primetime michael gbinije

M
ichael Gbinije, a fifth-year
graduate student, was the
Oranges most consistent
player, scoring in double figures in
all 37 games. He led the team in
scoring (17.6), led the ACC in steals
and was the teams best defensive
player, according to coach Jim
Boeheim.
The 6-foot-7 Duke transfer
was a calming influence for the
Orange, despite being asked to
transition from small forward to
point guard. Perhaps a bigger
transition was convincing Boeheim
that he was any good. The head
coach saw little in Gbinije as a
high school recruit I didnt like
him at all and was only inter-

PLaYERS
ested in him as a transfer because
assistant coach Adrian Autry was
high on him.
Among his significant moments,
Gbinije hit the game-winner
in SUs Sweet 16 victory over
Gonzaga. Toward the end of the
season, Boeheim described him as
the most improved player that Ive
had at Syracuse.

trevor cooney tyler roberson

T T
revor Cooney led the yler Roberson was up
Orange in fan abuse, and down as Syracuses
but dont tell that to his chief board man. He set a
coaches or teammates. The record for a Duke opponent at
fifth-year graduate student was Cameron Indoor Stadium with
a mainstay in the backcourt 20 rebounds in one of SUs big-
over his SU career, and his last gest wins of the regular season.
game was one of his finest 22 In the seasons first seven
points, five rebounds and three ACC games, the junior for-
steals against North Carolina in ward collected 10 rebounds
the Final Four. per game, but in the next nine
Cooney has always been a games his numbers dropped off,
rugged defender and a deep prompting public criticism from
shooting threat (he led the coach Jim Boeheim. Roberson
team this season with 92 made appeared to snap out of his funk
3-pointers). But he also devel- in a late-season loss to North
oped his overall game, becom- Carolina.
ing a dangerous driver. And In the NCAA opener against
when he drew fouls, he was Dayton, Roberson pulled down
the teams best at the line (80.6 18 rebounds, and he went on
percent). to average nearly 12 per game
SU assistant Mike Hopkins in the teams march to the Final
summed up Cooney this way: Four. Roberson traced his post-
You couldnt say much more season rebounding production
about a student-athlete or some- to his determination to play hard
one who represents your univer- and to have fun.
sity and your team than Trevor
Cooney.

DaJuan Coleman malAchi richardson

R S
edshirt senior Dajuan hooting guard Malachi
Coleman started all 37 Richardson had a solid
games at center for the freshman season not
Orange his first complete entirely consistent, but solid.
season since his senior year at Then he broke out in the NCAA
Jamesville-DeWitt High School. Tournament with 21 second-half
The 6-foot-9 center had missed points (and 23 total) in SUs Elite
all or parts of three seasons 8 win over top seed Virginia.
because of knee injuries and Much of his production came
surgical procedures. at the expense of Cavaliers
I put in a whole lot of work senior Malcolm Brogdon, the
over the summer, rehabbing and college games best defender,
everything, he said. Im finally according to the National
playing again. We made it back Association of Basketball
to the Final Four and it feels real Coaches.
good. Richardson followed that per-
Coleman, who averaged 4.9 formance with 17 points and five
points and 4.7 rebounds in 17.5 rebounds against North Carolina
minutes this season, said he is in the Final Four. For the season,
definitely coming back next sea- he was SUs second-leading
son as a graduate student. scorer (13.4) and made 35.3 per-
cent of his 3-point attempts.

tyler lydon frank howard

T F
he big number for fresh- reshman Frank Howards
man Tyler Lydon was 20. playmaking skills made it
Thats how many blocks difficult to keep him out
the 6-foot-8 forward had in five of the lineup as the season
NCAA Tournament games. And progressed. He struggled as a
no block was bigger than the shooter 2-for-19 from 3-point
one in the final seconds against range and Jim Boeheim may
Gonzagas Josh Perkins that have winced every time he
sealed SUs Sweet 16 victory attempted a shot.
over the Bulldogs. But his 2-to-1 assist-to-turn-
Derrick Coleman had held the over ratio was easily the best
SU record for blocked shots in on the team. He had 56 assists
the NCAA Tournament with the against 28 turnovers. He earned
16 he collected in six games in a spot in SUs rotation with
1987. The overall record is 29 aggressive defense, excellent
by Floridas Joakim Noah in six ball-handling and an ability to
games in 2006. find open teammates.
Lydon, a natural forward, was
often asked to play out of posi-
tion at center. He came off the
bench to average 10.1 points and
6.3 rebounds in 30.3 minutes.
He also led the team in 3-point
accuracy (.405).

The complete roster: Beyond the seven players above, the SU roster included freshman guard Shaun Belbey, sophomore guard Mike Sutton, freshman guard Adrian Autry, sophomore center
Paschal Chukwu, sophomore guard Kaleb Joseph, freshman guard Evan Dourdas, freshman guard Jonathan Radner, junior forward Doyin Akintobi-Adeyeye, junior center Chinonso Obokoh, fresh-
man guard Ky Feldman and senior guard Christian White. Coaches: Head coach Jim Boeheim, assistant coaches Mike Hopkins, Adrian Autry and Gerry McNamara, video coordinator Todd Blumen
and director of operations Kip Wellman.
 Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-7

A SEASON TO REMEMBER
PAGE B-10 THE POST-STANDARD THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

FINAL FOUR X TWO

A COMMUNITY
M O N D A Y , M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 6
CHEERS

FOUR X TWO
2016 NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS Photos by Dennis Nett
and Michael Greenlar

SYRACUSE SENDS ITS MEN AND WOMEN

TO NATIONAL BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Marianna Dean, 8 months, has her photograph taken in front of the block S in the lobby of
Manley Field House after a pep rally on Wednesday. (Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)

Fans give SU mens and womens teams a rousing Final Four sendoff

The Syracuse womens team leaves the pep rally Wednesday.

(Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)

I like being here today because there are no second-guessers here. Theres no naysayers here.
Everybody here is for Syracuse University, Syracuse basketball, and they were with us when we lost five straight games.
JIM BOEHEIM

S U N D A Y , M A R C H 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

FINAL

4
ON TO THE

Alexis Peterson, playing with a sore hip, was named Most Outstanding Player of Tyler Lydon, a freshman who made a three-pointer Sunday after losing a sneaker,
the Sioux Falls Regional. She was 11 for 20 from the field Sunday and scored more celebrates winning the Midwest Region over ACC foe Virginia. (Stephen D. Cannerelli /
than 20 points in each of the Oranges four games. (AP Photo / Nati Harnik) scannerelli@syracuse.com)

Peterson leads team effort that sends Intense defensive pressure keys
Orange women to their first Final Four 16-point comeback over Virginia
Alexis Peterson ran to midcourt at the final buzzer, dropped to From the bubble all the way to the Final Four.
her knees and buried her face in her hands. She cried tears of joy Malachi Richardson scored 21 of his 23 points in the second
as her Syracuse teammates swarmed her. half, and Syracuse extended its improbable run with a 68-62
The Orange are going to the womens Final Four for the first victory over top-seeded Virginia on Sunday.
time, and Peterson is the one leading the way to Indianapolis Syracuse (23-13), which trailed by 16 at the start of the second
after an 89-67 victory over Tennessee on Sunday. half, becomes just the fourth double-digit seed to make it to the
Peterson scored a season-high 29 points in a performance that Final Four. The Orange trailed 54-39 before ripping off 25 of the
earned her Most Outstanding Player of the regional. next 29 points, including 15 in a row. And Richardson led the way.
Next up: No. 7 Washington in Indianapolis on Sunday. Next up: No. 1 North Carolina in Houston at 8:49 p.m. Saturday.
Associated Press Associated Press

WOMENS 7 Washington 85 7 Tennessee 67 MENS 10 Syracuse 68 6 Notre Dame 74

RESULTS 4 Stanford 76 4 Syracuse 89 RESULTS 1 Virginia 62 1 N. Carolina 88

More tournament coverage on Page B-1, B-2, B-3. Find updates all week at syracuse.com

56 31
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ORANGE BASKETBALL
SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE C-5 MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE B-1 PAGE C-4 THE POST-STANDARD SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2016

SPORTS
ROADTOTHEFINALFOUR OBAMA MAKES HISTORIC TRIP TO CUBA A-5
Inside: Day at his best
ROADTOTHEFINALFOUR
at Dell Match Play.
B-4

2016 NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

MAKING HISTORY
M O N D A Y , M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

H
ighlighted by a clutch, closing-seconds blocked shot by fresh-

DOUBLE DATE
ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR
man Tyler Lydon, the Syracuse mens basketball team toughed
out a victory over Gonzaga in a physical Sweet 16 game late
Friday night in Chicago. The 63-60 win propelled the 10th-seed- TOLL FREEZE THE MEN: FIRST 10 SEED IN FINAL FOUR

S
ed Orange which only two weeks ago was a bubble team to make the
Self-supporting NY Thruway yracuses womens basketball team made program history Friday night
NCAA Touranment into the Elite 8. Today, SU will take on fellow ACC
could get billions in subsidies by playing in and winning its first-ever Sweet 16 game. The
foe Virginia with a chance to advance to the Final Four.
again Orange did it in dramatic fashion, rallying from a six-point deficit to

SYRACUSE MEN AND WOMEN ADVANCE TO THEIR SWEET 16s ON FRIDAY By Michael Hill
Associated Press
start the fourth quarter to knock off No. 1 seed South Carolina, 80-72.
The victory avenged two losses to the Gamecocks last season, including in the
The New York Thruway Authority, created
with a promise to be a self-sufficient entity to second-round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Today, SU will play Tennessee at
oversee the statewide highway, could end up 3:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a berth in the Final Four on the line.
taking billions in state subsidies.
State lawmakers are considering budget pro-
posals from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to use $1 bil-
lion from settlements with financial institutions
to help the authority pay for a budget-busting
replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge and for
toll tax credits.
If approved, it would mark the second year in
a row such settlement funds have been tapped
by the Thruway authority, following a similar
$1.3 billion transfer last year.
The governors plan to use about a third of
this years settlement money for toll credits has
come under fire from lawmakers and outside
critics, some who say an operation once flush
with revenue shouldnt be subsidizing tolls with
a one-time pot of money.
Its hard to imagine a situation in which poli-
ticians dont feel they have to find a way to keep
subsidizing those tolls, said Carol Kellerman,
president of the Citizens Budget Commission,
an independent research organization.
The Thruway plan taps into settlement money
collected from financial institutions over prac-
tices that led to the national housing crisis and Syracuse University mens basketball coach Jim Boeheim holds the net his team cut down after its 68-62 comeback win over Virginia in Sunday nights Midwest Regional final.
recession. The Orange is the first 10 seed to advance to the Final Four. (Stephen D. Cannerelli / scannerelli@syracuse.com)
The current proposals being considered by
state lawmakers would devote $700 million By Mike Waters possessions and then we can get this press lead to 51-37. As Michael Gbinije went to the NEXT
from the settlements toward the $4 billion mwaters@syracuse.com going, SU assistant Mike Hopkins said, foul line with 9:47 left in the game, Boeheim

Tappan Zee replacement bridge across the
Hudson River north of New York City and other
infrastructure, enabling a toll freeze for the
Tappan Zee and the rest of the Thruway through
2020. Another $340 million transfer would fund
toll credits for farmers and heavy users.
Syracuses Alexis Peterson jumps into the arms of Briana Day after the Orange women beat Albany in the second round of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in announcing the plan
the NCAA Tournament. The 76-59 victory means the womens team will advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school earlier this year said it was a major investment
history. (Dennis Nett / dnett@syracuse.com) in Upstate New York, parts of which have been
in a long economic funk.
Cuomos budget spokesman Morris Peters
SQUADS MAKE said this week that We make no apologies for
SCHOOL HISTORY LAWMAKERS, PAGE A-4
S
yracuse is known for its 2-3 zone
defense, but the Orange is going to the
Final Four thanks to its full-court press.
Syracuses frenetic full-court pressure,
fueled in equal parts by long, athletic players
and desperation, spurred the Oranges 68-62
comeback victory over Virginia in the NCAA
Tournaments Midwest Regional final on
Sunday night at the United Center in Chicago.
Syracuse trailed 35-21 at halftime when
Jim Boeheim told his players to get ready to
employ the press.
Listen, were going to play four or five
recalling Boeheims halftime instructions to
his team. He said this is something were
going to use. It was just incredible.
Boeheim actually waited a little longer than
he planned.
Syracuse cut Virginias lead to seven points
just five minutes into the second half. The
Orange was still just eight points back after
Malachi Richardsons 3-pointer with 11:43
remaining.
Boeheim waited.
But then the Orange went the next two
minutes without scoring. Virginia boosted its
instructed the Orange to go into the press
after Gbinijes free throws.
Boeheim thought he might have waited too
long, encouraged by Syracuses brief narrow-
ing of the deficit.
We were going to wait five or six pos-
sessions and try to get it to where its 10 or
12, Boeheim said. I think it was 14. It was
more than we wanted it to be when we started
pressing.
Boeheim didnt tell his players that.
BOEHEIM, PAGE B-3
National semifinal game
against North Carolina,
the No. 1 seed in the East
Regional.
Game time is approximately
8:49 p.m. Saturday, following
the first semifinal between
Villanova and Oklahoma.
Syracuse lost twice this year
to North Carolina: 84-73 at
home on Jan. 9 and 75-70 on
the road on Feb. 29.

WITH VICTORIES
For the first time ever,
both the mens and womens
LIGHTS OUT

basketball teams from
Syracuse University will
advance to the Sweet 16 of
their NCAA tournaments,
thanks to victories Sunday.
First, the Orange women
defeated Albany, 76-59, in a
second-round game at the
Carrier Dome. The fourth-
seeded SU women built
their lead to 18 points in the
second half and held off
Albanys comeback attempt.
SUs next opponent is the
top seed in the region, South
Carolina. Theyll play Friday
in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Then it was the Orange
men who dominated the
second half to defeat Middle
Tennessee State, 75-50, and
spoil that schools hopes
of becoming the second 15
seed to win two games in the
WHAT A GRIND: Clockwise from top, Syracuse tourney. The SU men next
coach Jim Boeheim applauds a play; senior guard play Gonzaga on Friday in
Trevor Cooney eyes a loose ball against Gonzagas
Chicago.
Kyle Wiltjer; Tyler Lydon puts up a shot in the lane;
Frank Howard provides solid relief at point guard;
Cities around the world pull plug THE WOMEN: FIRST TRIP EVER TO THE FINAL FOUR
to mark 10th annual Earth Hour
Cities around the world turned out the lights
Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth
Hour, a global movement dedicated to protect-
ing the planet and highlighting the effects of
climate change.
As night came on, the lights went out in cities
from South Korea to the United States in what
the World Wildlife Fund describes as a moment
of solidarity for climate action. The group spon-
sors the event and says people in 178 countries
and territories had planned to participate.
Lights went out for the hourlong event
Malachi Richardson gestures to Syracuse fans in the arena in St. Louis as the Orange from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time in
closed out its victory over Middle Tennessee State.
(Stephen D. Cannerelli / scannerelli@syracuse.com)
Beijing, Moscow, Beirut, Cairo, Athens, Rome,
and Paris. The lights atop the Empire State
Building in New York were dimmed, and some
NEXT GAMES billboards in Times Square also went dark.
Associated Press
SU MEN SU WOMEN
No. 10 Syracuse men meet No. 4 Syracuse women meet
No. 11 Gonzaga in a Sweet 16 No. 1 South Carolina in a Eiffel Tower before and after its lights were
showdown Sweet 16 showdown turned off to mark Earth Hour. Cities around
the world marked the 10th annual lights-out
Syracuse University womens basketball coach Quentin Hillsman holds up the net after his teams 89-67 win over Tennessee on Sunday. The victory lifted the Orange into the Final
Four for the first time in program history. (AP Photo / Nati Harnik) THE MANY FACES OF A WINNER: Clockwise from the top,
When: 9:40 p.m. Friday When: Friday (Time not yet set) Syracuse senior guard Cornelia Fondren hauls in a rebound; coach
event Saturday evening. (AP Photo / Kamil Zihnioglu)
NEXT
Where: United Center, Chicago Where: Sioux Falls, S.D. By Lindsay Kramer Its part of game prep. Youve got to start 89-67 in an Elite Eight game Sunday in the Quentin Hillsman shouts instructions; the bench erupts in joy in the
lkramer@syracuse.com two days out, Hillsman said. So we started Denny Sanford Premier Center. games closing seconds; junior point guard Alexis Peterson celebrates

S
National semifinal game
Michael Gbinije draws contact on an attempt near yracuse University womens basketball prepping on how to cut the nets on Friday. The win moves Syracuse (29-7) to its first against Washington, the the victory; and senior guard Brianna Butler smiles after helping lead the
the basket; and Tyler Roberson grabs a loose ball coach Quentin Hillsman inhales oxygen We went through it again yesterday, and went Final Four in program history, where it will No. 7 seed in the Lexington Orange to its first Sweet 16 win. Peterson scored 26 points and Butler
and details with approximately the same through it again this morning. Youve got to meet Washington in a national semifinal on Regional.
against Gonzagas Domantas Sabonis. MEMBERSHIP importance. turn your wrist, youve got to snip hard. Its Sunday in Indianapolis. The time has not had 18. (Associated Press photos)
Subscribers to The Post-Standard who are gold members of ps.plus Become a member.

(Stephen D. Cannerelli / scannerelli@syracuse.com)
Bonus content includes
8 pages from USA Today
39 24
$1.00
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will find eight pages of news and features from USA Today as part of Subscribe or activate So after his team shocked South Carolina not high school nets. These are nice thick been announced. Game time on Sunday is to
their ePost-Standard on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. your membership at in a Sioux Falls Regional semifinal on Friday, nets. Syracuse had the answer for everything the be announced. The other two
In addition, gold members enjoy access to The Washington Post, to he instructed his players on the proper strat- Was Syracuse ready when the moment Lady Vols challenged with, piercing a defense Final Four teams will be deter-
Central New York magazine and to the Syracuse Visitors Guide.
syracuse.com/psplus
egy for cutting down nets. came for real? designed to stop the three with 14 treys and mined today.
The small tidbit that the Orange was Well, there wasnt much during its excel- turning 21 Vols turnovers into 25 points. Syracuse defeated
roughly 48 hours away from earning a chance lent adventure to South Dakota that Syracuse The Orange flexed its muscle with fierce Washington 66-62 when they
to do so? It didnt matter. The players had to didnt have nailed cold. tournament most outstanding player Alexis

2016 THE POST-STANDARD met Nov. 27 in the South Point

SUN AND CLOUDS WITH A Classified....................... B-5 Sports ...................Section B BONUS CONTENT FOR MEMBERS ONLY. be counseled on technique, scissor angle and The Orange polished off a machine-like Shootout in Las Vegas.
SNOW SHOWER OR TWO. the like. business trip by easily dispatching Tennessee
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PAGE R-8 The POST-STANDARD Sunday, April 10, 2016

5
6
9 SHINING Peterson
pours in 29
Sykes tears
of joy
Syracuse guard Alexis Peterson As Syracuse
fell and hurt her hip in the first quar- celebrated its
ter of Syracuses Elite 8 matchup win against
with Tennessee. But after a short Tennessee and
rest, she came back to complete 38 its first trip to the
minutes, score 29 points, grab three Final Four, guard Brittney Sykes broke into tears on
the floor of the Denny Sanford Premier Center in
steals, hand out six assists, snare
Sioux Falls, S.D.
four rebounds and commit just two I think when I started crying, it was obviously
turnovers. Her 29 points were the tears of joy, but it was also tears of just pure hap-
most ever by an SU womens player piness, and understanding what I went through
in the NCAA Tournament. wasnt in vain, Sykes said. It made everything
This time of year, you just have worth it.
to give it all you have, Peterson That everything for the 22-year-old graduate

MOMENTS
said. It bothered me for the rest of student meant enduring two pain-filled recover-
the game. I couldnt think about it. ies from a torn ACL in her right knee injuries
Id rather win and be advancing than that ended her 2013-14 season in March during an
worry about a minor injury. NCCA Tournament run and put her back on the
sidelines after three games of the 2014-15 cam-
paign. She averaged 10 points per game this sea-
son as coach Quentin Hillsman called her a very
important part of our program.
SCENES ALONG THE ROAD TO THE NCAA FINAL FOUR

7 Quick jump
on Washington
In the national semifinal game, the
Orange led the Washington Huskies,
12-9, in the first quarter. Then the
Syracuse shooters took over and set
Syracuse guard the tone for the rest of the game.
Alexis Peterson. (AP Briana Day hit a layup, Cornelia
Photo / Charlie Neibergall) Fondren drained a jumper and Brianna
Butler sank her first 3 of the game.
Alexis Peterson added a layup and
when Fondren drilled another jumper
at the horn,
Syracuse had an
11-point lead after
one period.
That lead
extended to
43-31 at the
half and grew
as large as 24
points in the third
period.
You can
prepare for it,
you can watch
it on film, you
Syracuse guard Brittney Sykes pressures Armys Daizjah Morris in the first round of the NCAA Syracuse guard Cornelia can try to simulate it all you want,

1
Tournament in the Carrier Dome on March 18. SU won 73-56. (Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com) Fondren drives on Huskies coach Mike Neighbors said of
Washingtons Kelli Kingma Syracuses shooting. But when they
during a Final Four game
Sykes late steal at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
can spread you and stretch you that far
out on the floor, it makes it incredibly
With just over a minute to go in the Oranges opening-round game against Army, SU was in Indianapolis on April 3.
hard to defend.

8
comfortably ahead. But it didnt let up on the defensive pressure that kept the Black Knights off (Dennis Nett / dnett@syracuse.com)
balance all day. Brittney Sykes stole the ball from Army star Kelsey Minato and went the other
way for two points.
Minato, who came in averaging 24 points per game, made just 3-of-14 shots, and she wasnt
alone in being frustrated by the Orange, who forced 23 turnovers.
We faced that kind of defense, probably, never, Army coach Dave Magarity said. And I
mean that. It is just overwhelming at times. Its relentless and its really very, very difficult to Butler breaks
ever get comfortable (against). They got into our head a little bit. More than a little bit. a record

Syracuses Bria Day, left, battles an
Albany opponent for a loose ball
during the Oranges 76-59 victory
in the second round of the NCAA
Tournament at the Carrier Dome.
(Dennis Nett / dnett@syracuse.com)
2
Bench
comes
up big
The Orange wore down Albany with
depth and will in its second-round
matchup at the Carrier Dome. Maggie
Morrison came off the bench to score
11 points and backup center Bria Day,
whom SU coach Quentin Hillsman
called the games MVP, took over for
her twin sister, Briana, when the latter
got in foul trouble and contributed 10
rebounds in 28 minutes.
I think Bria came in and did exactly
what shes going to do all the time,
Briana Day said. She goes in there,
works hard, she plays aggressively. She
rebounds. Thats what youre going to
expect from her. I think she did such a
great job just taking over when I was in
foul trouble. I was really proud of her.
record because she deserves it. Shes a kid
Brianna Butler in the locker room.
(Dennis Nett / dnett@syracuse.com)
Syracuse senior Brianna Butler set the
NCAA single-season record for 3-pointers
with 128 after sinking four in the Oranges
Final Four rout of Washington. The previ-
ous record of 127 was set last season by
Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State.
Butler reached the milestone with 4:25
left in the game when she made her final 3
of the night.
Shes just so steady, coach Quentin
Hillsman said. Shes a kid that has a lot
of responsibility for us to shoot the ball.
And its just amazing to see her break that
who is a very much team-oriented kid and
she wants to pass the ball. She wants to
make the right plays.

Butler buries one

3 The Orange trailed by 13 points in the first half, and six points late in the fourth
in its Sweet 16 matchup against No. 1 seed South Carolina. But the team kept
chipping away, and Brianna Butler, who didnt make a 3-pointer in the first half,
cashed in one in the fourth quarter to put SU up for good at 66-65 on its way to a stun-
ning 80-72 victory.
I have to give the credit to my teammates and coaches, Butler said. They gave me
the confidence to come out in the second half and fire. ... Even Coach (Hillsman) gave me

4
the confidence. Even if I was missing, he wanted me to keep shooting.

South
Carolina Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman kisses Brittney Sykes at the end of the Oranges loss
settles to Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament championship game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in
The Oranges zone defense Indianapolis on April 5. (Dennis Nett / dnett@syracuse.com)
sagged on South Carolinas star
post players Aja Wilson and Alaina A 16-0 run against UConn

9
Coates, and they responded by The national championship game was all UConn: The Huskies led by 27 at the
shooting 77 percent from the floor. half and 31 at the final buzzer.
But the Gamecocks also hoisted But Syracuse didnt wilt. In the third quarter, the Orange cut the lead to 17 by
a season-high 32 3-pointers and going on a 16-0 run. It held the Huskies scoreless for five minutes, forcing coach Geno
made only eight. Auriemma to take a timeout.
We took the bait, South We were prepared and we competed, coach Quentin Hillsman said. And we definitely
Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. didnt play scared. We saw some teams lay down. And our kids didnt lay down.
Our post players are 17-for-22
from the floor, 41 points. Shooting
Syracuse guard Cornelia Fondren, center, fights for the
at that percentage, we should have ball with South Carolinas Aja Wilson, left, and Alaina
been trying to get that ball inside a Coates during the second half of a regional semifinal NCAA
lot more than we did. Tournament game on March 25. (AP Photo / Charlie Neibergall)

se ason
TURNING POINTS
Jan. 3
SU 86, Duke 50
Syracuse notches its largest-ever margin of
victory over a ranked opponent, beating up
on No. 12 Duke by forcing the Blue Devils
into 32 turnovers. Its also a career day for SU
senior guard Maggie Morrison, who comes
off the bench to score 25 points in just 16
minutes.
It was just out-of-body today,
Morrison said. It was just one of
those days where you get hot and
youre just shooting everything and
theyre just going in.
Jan. 25
Louisville 71, SU 53
Syracuse suffers its second loss in a row, falling
to the Cardinals four days after being crushed by
Notre Dame. Coach Quentin Hillsman later called
the Louisville defeat a turning point.
We had to kind of put our heads
together and figure out what was
important to us, Hillsman said. Is it
important just to go to these games and
you show up and you try to compete,
or is it important to go to these games
and win? And we had to make some
adjustments and do things differently.
Feb. 1
SU 57, Miami 51
With 45 seconds left, SU center Briana Day
scores off an offensive rebound as SU knocks off
No. 16 Miami, its first road win against a ranked
opponent in two years.
This was a real tough, gutsy win for
our ball club, Hillsman said. I thought
they really competed at a tremendously
high level. At the end of the day, all you
ask for is tremendous effort. Our kids
gave an unbelievable effort.
Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-9
2015-16 results: 30-8
Home games in orange, away games in black
and neutral sites in blue.
NOVEMBER
13 SU 57, Rhode Island 54
20 Tennessee 57, SU 55
23 SU 90, Morgan State 61
27 SU 66, Washington 62
28 SU 76, Fordham 54
DECEMBER
2 Maryland 82, SU 64
6 SU 64, Stony Brook 49
9 SU 88, Coppin State 56
12 Arizona State 61, SU 54
21 SU 65, Jacksonville 49
29 SU 83, Drexel 62
30 SU 97, Howard 48
j an u ar y
1 SU 91, Texas-PanAm 32
3 SU 86, Duke 50
7 UNC 77, SU 73
10 SU 60, Virginia Tech 39
14 SU 71, Pittsburgh 48
17 SU 91, Wake Forest 65
Brittney Sykes drives past Florida State players in the final home game of the regular
season. (Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com) 21 Notre Dame 90, SU 62
25 Louisville 71, SU 53
Feb. 18 27 SU 62, Boston College 61
SU 83, Florida State 73
f ebr u ar y
SUs win against the No. 10 Seminoles comes on Senior Night for Syracuses most suc- 1 SU 57, Miami 51
cessful class ever. Brittney Sykes, Brianna Butler, Taylor Ford, Maggie Morrison, Cornelia
Fondren and Aliyah Parris run their record as a class to 90 wins and 34 losses. 4 SU 83, Clemson 62
7 SU 71, Georgia Tech 52
There was a time when we were just trying to be .500, Hillsman said. 11 SU 91, Virginia 57
The goals have changed. They really have. As this program has grown 14 SU 55, NC State 52
and weve brought in players that have played at the highest level, as far 18 SU 83, Florida State 73
as quality wins, it just changes everything. 21 SU 70, Pittsburgh 56
25 SU 71, BC 55
March 5 march
SU 80, Louisville 75
4 SU 80, NC State 61
5 SU 80, Louisville 75
Ahead by one point in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, Syracuse sends Cornelia
Fondren to the foul line with 18 seconds left. The senior hits both shots to help the 6 Notre Dame 68, SU 57
Orange hold off the No. 7 Cardinals and pick up its fourth win against a ranked opponent, 18 SU 73, Army 56
the most in program history. 20 SU 76, Albany 59
If we play hard, no one can beat us, said Fondren, who tied a career 25 SU 80, South Carolina 72
high with 18 points. Sorry to say, but if we compete at a high level, no 27 SU 89, Tennessee 67
one can stop us. You never know whos going to have a big game. Youve APRIL
seen that throughout the year. People dominate games and you never 3 SU 80, Washington 59
know who might show up at any point. 5 Connecticut 82, SU 51
GREAT JOB
ORANGE!
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PAGE R-10 The POST-STANDARD Sunday, April 10, 2016

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Briana Day

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ts easy to confuse junior Briana
Day, Syracuses starting center,
with her primary backup. That
would be her identical, 6-foot-4
twin sister, Bria.

',6-78-%27 The Raleigh, N.C., twins provided

the Cuse with a solid one-two
punch in the paint, but it was the
gregarious Briana who earned
BY LUCAS HNATH more minutes than her cerebral sib-
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record with 322 rebounds in 2014-
6 15, Briana came back with 301 this
year and boosted her scoring to
APR
16

9.8 points per game.

In the NCAA Tournament, she
24 started with a double-double
against Army (11 points, 12
rebounds) and peaked with 15
rebounds against Washington. In
SUs second NCAA game, foul
trouble limited her to 12 minutes,
but fortunately Bria was there to
: S SPONSOR:
SEASON pick up the slack with 10 rebounds,
four points and two blocks.

ERIKA LAVONN, PAUL DEBOY, DELANCE MINEFEE AND

AMES ADAMSON IN THE CHRISTIANS, WITH JULIE JESNECK
FIRST ROW FOURTH FROM THE LEFT. PHOTO: MICHAEL DAVIS. Cornelia Fondren

/)2 09(;-+7 &%7/)6:-00) I

t would be a challenge for any-
one to find the off button on
Cornelia Fondren, a 5-foot-8
senior spark of power who is one
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% 7,)603'/ ,301)7 seven starters, and frequently
the first off the bench.
Fondren, a senior out of

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Memphis, Tenn., is the classic
plays-bigger-than-her-size com-
petitor, earning the moniker Big
Girl from teammates. She makes
BASED ON A NOVEL BY her living on the court power-
ing into the lane and scor-
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE ing against the games giants.
DIRECTED BY PETER AMSTER She did just that in the NCAA
Tournament against elite defend-
MAY ers on South Carolina (5 points
and 5 rebounds), Tennessee (13
11 points), Washington (10 points, 7
rebounds) and UConn (a team-
MAY
16

high 16 points).
29 Early in the season, she had a
rare accomplishment, recording
the programs first triple-double in
more than 30 years with 12 points,
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10 rebounds and 10 steals against
Howard.
The complete roster: The SU roster also included freshman forward Julia Chandler, fresh-
man guard Jade Phillips, senior forward Aliyah Parris, freshman guard Savannah Crocetti,
JOE FOUST AND ROB JOHANSEN IN freshman guard Cherish Cobb, sophomore guard Danielle Minott, senior forward Taylor Ford,
ALFRED HITCHCOCKS THE 39 STEPS. freshman guard Brandi Fowler, freshman guard Davida Dale, freshman guard Abby Grant and
PHOTO: ROGER MASTROIANNI.
junior center Bria Day.
 Sunday, April 10, 2016 THE POST-STANDARD PAGE R-11

Brianna Butler

O
ne of two McDonalds
All-Americans to enter
the program four years
ago, Brianna Butler has been
Syracuses go-to player from
long range throughout her

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career. Her silky-smooth shoot-
ing stroke, which she modeled
after former NBA player Ray
Allen, helped her set an NCAA
Champagne & Rose
record for 3-pointers made in
one season (129) this year.
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Always a streaky shooter,
Butler made only 3 of 19 3-point-
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The 5-foot-11 senior guard
ends her college career ranked
seventh on SUs career scoring
list (1,396).

alexis peterson

D
ont be fooled by Alexis
Petersons infectious smile,
because this point guard
will kill you with a quick handle
and even quicker shooting stroke
on the court.
Syracuses on-court general This Mothers Day relax package starts with an aromatherapy foot
came into her own as a sopho- soak and a champagne and rose oil foot scrub. Sip on a glass of
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team in scoring (16.0) and assists feast on cheese & crackers, vegetables & pastries. This pampering
(4.7) and keeping opponents off- gift ends with a healthy & relaxing 1 hr. massage.
guard with her stutter-step moves

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Isabella Slim

I
sabella Slim, a 6-foot junior
forward from Amsterdam, the
Netherlands, has started every
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game for the Orange since step-
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has averaged only 12.5 minutes
and 2.1 points over those 103
games, she and coach Quentin
SUMMIT DODGE
Hillsman see her role as a player
who brings energy to the starting
lineup, rather than someone who

SYRACUSE
comes off the bench to spark a
rally.
If she came off the bench and
played seven, eight minutes, what
would it matter? said Hillsman.
Shes on a team where shes a
very good glue player ... and doing
what we ask her to do.
While on the bench, Slim may
be the teams biggest supporter.
A member of the 2015 Dutch U20
national team, she is frequently
the first to celebrate her SU team-

Mens &
mates good plays by jumping out
of her chair to punch her arm in
the air.

Maggie Morrison
Womens
T
he seventh of Hillsmans
seven starters, Maggie
Basketball
Teams!
Morrison has made her mark
at the program since transferring
from Vanderbilt after two seasons.
This year, the 5-foot-8 senior
guard played in every game, aver-
aging 15 minutes and 5.4 points off
the bench. But her sharp-shooting
skills from long range made her an
important component of SUs suc-
cess. She converted nearly one-
third of her 3-pointers (51 of 157)
and hit double digits in scoring six
times, including a personal-best
25 against a ranked Duke team on
Jan. 25.
She greatly helped SU win
its second-round game against
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Coaches: Head coach Quentin Hillsman, associate head coach Vonn Read, assistant coach
Tammi Reiss, assistant coach and director of program management and development Cedric
Solice, and director of multimedia and technology Ryan Nichols.
PAGE R-12 The POST-STANDARD Sunday, April 10, 2016

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