When Syracuse women’s basketball head coach Marianna Freeman informed her team about Saturday night’s starting lineup, something slipped her mind.

Freeman wrote in freshman Jill Norton at center instead of senior Awa Diop, who was promised the start on Senior Night.

‘I’m walking out (to the court) and my assistants say, ‘Aren’t you starting Awa?’ ‘ Freeman said with a chuckle. ‘And I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. That’s what usually happens on Senior Night.’ ‘

Freeman made her decision out of sentiment, but it proved critical for the Orangewomen in their 71-61 win over Pittsburgh. Diop, starting for the second time this season, played 28 minutes, shot 4 of 5 for eight points and grabbed seven rebounds. All were season highs.

‘I honestly didn’t expect to play this much,’ Diop said. ‘It feels good to play well, though. To me, I feel like I had a terrible year. I didn’t contribute.’

Said Freeman: ‘She played the minutes because she deserved them. She just played extremely well.

“I told Awa last week, ‘One of these days, we’re going to see the real Awa Diop.’ By golly, we saw her tonight.”

Before the game, Freeman praised her two seniors, Maja Omanovic and Diop, by delivering a short speech and reading Maya Angelou’s poem ‘Phenomenal Woman.’

Diop’s season has now come full circle. During the preseason, Diop collapsed at practice. Then the NCAA forced her to sit four games for playing in a recreational league in France.

And finally came Saturday, certainly the finest game Diop — or perhaps any SU center — has played all year.

Though she played only three years of college basketball in the United States, Diop is listed as a senior. That’s because the Colombes, France, native played overseas and is older than 21, which the NCAA considers senior qualifications. Freeman said SU is pursuing an appeals process that would grant Diop another season.

Omanovic didn’t start because of her injured left knee, suffered in a 75-51 loss to Connecticut on Feb. 12. Freeman said she wanted to play the 6-foot-4 center but couldn’t risk further injury.

‘Maja would’ve liked to sneak in there,’ Freeman said. ‘But unfortunately for her, she’s really bruised a bone in her knee. The trainer Karen (McKinney) would’ve killed me if I put her in.’

Freeman said Omanovic would travel to the Big East tournament, which starts March 8.

Off night

Julie McBride — who scored 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting — committed nine of SU’s 19 turnovers. It was her second-worst total this season. McBride had 12 turnovers in an 85-68 loss Jan. 8 to Miami.

‘I just wasn’t taking care of the ball,’ McBride said. ‘I wasn’t expecting the trap. But as a point guard, you have to expect a trap. I was just a terrible point guard today.’

Still, the 19 turnovers were fewer than Pittsburgh’s. The Panthers committed 25, their highest total this season.

‘The 2-3 zone bothered us,’ Pitt head coach Traci Waites said. ‘At times, the turnovers weren’t forced. We would just overpass the ball. We tried to pass out of the zone rather than shoot out of it.’

Believe me

With 14:25 left in the game, Pitt forward Laine Selwyn picked up a technical after committing an offensive foul driving and colliding with McBride.

McBride’s leg appeared to land on Selwyn as both players fell to the floor. Selwyn pushed off McBride’s leg, at which point she was called for a technical.

Afterward, views of what happened differed.

‘Our legs got tangled up and she decided to kick me,’ McBride said. ‘I’m not surprised.’

‘I didn’t do anything,’ Selwyn said. ‘I usually have a temper. But I didn’t even cuss. She kicked me, and I pushed her foot off me.’

That marked the second time in three games McBride has egged an opponent into a technical foul. In SU’s 66-58 win over Providence on Feb. 19, Friar forward Kristin Quinn punched McBride in the stomach.

“Julie’s second job out there is boxer,” Freeman quipped. “She’s doing a rope-a-dope out there.”

This and that

Rochelle Coleman shot 2 of 13 for six points, but she dished a career-high seven assists. … Men’s basketball players Carmelo Anthony — wearing a Rip Hamilton Detroit Pistons jersey — and Billy Edelin popped in for a few minutes in the second half. … Forward Sarah Wegrzynowicz played four minutes, her most time since a five-minute stint in a 76-47 win Jan. 2 over Cornell. She shot 0 of 2 and picked up a foul.

Published on March 2, 2003 at 12:00 pm