Syracuse, N.Y. - Kayla Alexander finished with a game-high 15 points, including 13 in the second half, along with 19 rebounds and four blocks to lead Syracuse to a 69-38 win over UAlbany in non-conference women's basketball at the Carrier Dome on Monday evening.

The teams played a tightly contested start to the first half, as UAlbany held Syracuse (7-0) without a basket until 14:07, while building up a 4-0 advantage on baskets by Felicia Johnson and Ebone Henry. The Orange rallied back and took a 12-11 lead when Iasia Hemingway hit one of two free throws with 8:49 left to play. Adrienne Jones put the Great Danes back on top by two, 14-12, with a rainbow three from the left side of the arc with 6:55 on the clock. Syracuse then went on a 7-0 run, building up a 19-14 advantage capped by a 3-pointer by Erica Morrow at 4:05.

The Orange added two points to their advantage on a jumper by Carmen Tyson-Thomas with just over a minute to play, but Cassandra Callaway ended the Great Danes' scoring drought, responding with a 3-pointer on the next possession to pull UAlbany within 21-17. A last second foul, with just 0.4 seconds left, put Shakeya Leary on the line, where she hit two shots to put the Orange up, 23-17, at the half.

Syracuse came out firing in the second half, getting ahead by nine, 34-25, just four minutes into play, forcing the Great Danes to take a timeout. The Orange continued to roll, embarking on a 25-0 run, while drawing eight fouls from UAlbany before the 12-minute media timeout. Henry ended the rally with a jumper from the top of the key at 8:15, ending an almost 10-minute scoring drought for the Great Danes. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Callaway and Henry pulled UAlbany within 60-33, but Syracuse continued to roll, but a trey by Morrow kept the Orange on their roll. La'Shay Taft nailed a shot from downtown, while Jones responded with a runner in the lane to set the final score.

UAlbany  got 10 points apiece from Henry and Johnson. The Orange held UAlbany to 23.6-percent (13-55) shooting from the floor, and forced the Great Danes into 19 turnovers, including 11 steals.

UAlbany (6-2) will return to action on Thursday, visting Duke at 7 p.m.

PAW PRINTS: Julie Forster has been named the America East Conference Player of the Week in women's basketball.

       Forster averaged a double-double to help Albany split a pair of games last week and continue the Great Danes' best start since 1986-87. Forster averaged 10 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting an outstanding .800 from the field in two games. The sophomore also added 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game and one block.

       In the first game of the week against Sacred Heart, Forster finished with six points on 3-for-4 shooting, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. The forward then completed her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and scored the go-ahead basket in a 63-59 victory over crosstown rival Siena. It was Albany's first win in the annual contest since 2006. Forster went 5-for-6 against the Saints and converted 4-of-6 free-throw shots. She leads America East in rebounding and is averaging a double-double on the season with 11.6 ppg and 11.3 rpg. Forster also has a league-best .633 field goal percentage.

Syracuse 69, UAlbany 38 (12/06/10 at Syracuse, N.Y. (Carrier Dome))

ALBANY 38

Syracuse 69