SU Basketball

Syracuse University officials formally introduced former star guard Gerry McNamara as the program's ninth head basketball coach on Monday.

McNamara played at Syracuse and spent 14 years as an assistant coach with the Orange before spending the last two years as the head coach at Siena.

The #9 seeded Orange will take on the overal #1 seed and undefeated UConn Huskies Monday evening at 6 p.m. in Storrs, Ct.

Uche Izoje had 16 of her 23 points in the first half as ninth-seeded Syracuse topped No. 8 Iowa State 72-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

McNamara, who won a national championship at Syracuse in 2003, would not say if he has been contacted by Syracuse about the opening.

Syracuse lost its final six games and 12 of the last 15 under Autry to finish 15-17. Autry was 49-48 over three seasons and failed to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Syracuse finished its season Tuesday, losing its final six games and 12 of its last 15 and finished 14th in the ACC.

Freshman Nate Kingz scored a career-high 19 points, William Kyle III made a go-ahead free throw with 13.8 seconds left, and Syracuse held off No. 13 Tennessee 62-60.

Syracuse made just 12 of 29 foul shots, but still somehow made a Houston team coming off an appearance in the national title game have to earn the victory.

Dyaisha Fair is the sixth player from the Syracuse women's basketball player to be drafted to the WNBA.