Syracuse Returns Home to Host Howard Sunday

Syracuse women's basketball (5-1) returns to the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, November 30, to host Howard (6-2, 0-0 MEAC) in a 2 p.m. matchup on ACCNX. The Orange are seeking their fifth home win of the season after going 1-1 at last weekend's Invesco QQQ Women's Showcase at the Hall of Fame Classic in Connecticut.

Sunday's matchup marks just the third meeting all-time between Syracuse and Howard, with the Orange holding a perfect 2-0 record in the series. The teams last met on December 30, 2015, when Syracuse dominated 97-48 at home. This game is part of the MEAC Alliance partnership, which connects Syracuse Athletics with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference institutions across athletics and academics.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack's squad enters Sunday's contest riding a seven-game regular season home winning streak dating back to last season. Syracuse is coming off a spirited effort against No. 6 Michigan, where freshman Uche Izoje recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while graduate guard Laila Phelia contributed 13 points.

The Orange are averaging 71.3 points per game while holding opponents to just 54.3 points, outscoring their opponents by an average of 17.0 points through six games. Syracuse boasts three players averaging double figures in scoring in Laila Phelia (13.2 ppg), Dominique Darius (13.0 ppg), and Izoje Uche (11.2 ppg).

Phelia leads the team in scoring while shooting 43.5% from the field and an impressive 84.2% from the free-throw line. Darius has been equally impressive, shooting 45.9% from the field and 94.1% from the charity stripe. Izoje, a 6-foot-3 freshman, leads the team in rebounding at 6.2 boards per game while ranking third in scoring. She is coming off her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against #10 Michigan.

Howard enters Sunday's contest with an impressive 6-2 record after falling 92-62 at Purdue on Wednesday night. The Bison's only other loss came by just two points, 62-60, at George Washington on November 11, demonstrating their competitive nature. Head coach Ty Grace is in her 11th season leading the program and consistently has the Bison in the top half of the MEAC every season.

A Syracuse victory would improve the Orange to 7-1 overall and extend their regular season winning streak to eight games. The Orange will look to continue their dominance on the defensive end, where they rank fifth in the ACC in scoring defense (54.3 ppg) and second in the conference in steals per game (12.0).

Following Sunday's matchup, Syracuse will host Auburn on December 3 at 5 p.m. as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge before hitting the road for their first ACC contest at SMU on December 7.