Upstate Rivalry Awaits for Women's Hoops

STREAKS, STORYLINES & SIDEBARS 

• Cornell women's basketball returns from its final exam break when it travels to the JMA Wireless Dome to face Central New York foe Syracuse.
• The Big Red will take on the Orange on Monday, Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m.
• The Big Red was selected seventh in the Ivy League preseason media poll. Cornell finished 10-17 in the 2022-23 season, ending at seventh in the Ancient Eight. The Big Red tallied a road win over Brown and a sweep over Dartmouth in conference play.
• Senior captain Kaya Ingram has been the bulk of the Big Red offense so far. scoring double figures in six of Cornell's nine games this season. The Albuquerque, N.M. native also leads Cornell in steals (12) and is tied at the top in assists (26). She is followed by first year G/F Rachel Kaus, who has had an excellent start to her first season on East Hill with 10.2 PPG and a team-leading 57.1 FG% through nine contests.

THE SERIES 
First Meeting: Cornell, 62-24, Mar. 1, 1973
Overall: Syracuse leads, 17-3
In Overtime: N/A
Current Streak: Syracuse won eight
Last Time: Syracuse, 85-55, Dec. 8, 2021 (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Smith vs. Syracuse: 1-10 (0-7 in Syracuse, N.Y.)
Series vs. Syracuse: 
- Monday's game will be the 21st all-time meeting between Cornell and Syracuse.
- It will be the first time the Big Red and the Orange will be facing off since the 2021-22 season. Syracuse took the last matchup 85-55 on Dec. 8, 2021 in Syracuse. 
- Head Coach Dayna Smith will look to snap an eight game losing streak to the Orange. Her last win came via a 82-62 decision in Ithaca on Dec. 20, 2003.

A WIN OVER SYRACUSE WOULD ... 

• Push the Big Red's record to 6-4 for the second consecutive season through 10 games and secure the first four-game winning streak for the Big Red since the 2019-20 season. 
• Snap the Big Red's and head coach Dayna Smith's eight-game losing streak to the Orange and be the first time Cornell has won in Syracuse since Feb, 6, 1974.
• Be the 471st win in program history (470-766 in 53 seasons, .380)

LAST TIME OUT: Cornell 55, St. Bonaventure 53
GAME STORY I BOX SCORE I GALLERY

• The Big Red played catch up from the opening tip against St. Bonaventure, but pulled off a 15-10 run over the final ten minutes to secure a 55-53 win over the Bonnies on Tuesday, Dec. 5 from Ithaca, N.Y. 
• Freshman Rachel Kaus led the Cornell comeback with 15 points, including 6-8 from the free throw line to go with five rebounds and two steals. Kaya Ingram also gave Cornell the spark it needed, scoring all of her 11 points in the second half to clinch Cornell's third straight win over the Bonnies.
• After shooting a combined 7-27 (25.9%) in the first half, Cornell offense turned the page in the final 20 minutes, shooting 12-31 (38.7%) while holding the Bonaventure offense to 2-7 from behind the arc to grab the win. 
• The Big Red had great production from its bench in the win, scoring 22 points compared to just nine for St. Bonaventure. Kaus (15 points) and Clarke Jackson (5 points) combined for 20 of those points. 
• Nadechka Laccsen (16 points, seven rebounds) and Taylor Napper (12 points) led the Bonaventure attack in the loss, who has now lost three straight games.