Syracuse’s March Run Ends in 98-45 Blowout Against UConn

Syracuse’s run ends with a 98-45 loss to UConn, a game that is out of reach before it ever settles.

Coming off a win over Iowa State, Syracuse enters the matchup on the road against undefeated UConn, and from the opening minutes, it is clear what the women’s basketball team is up against.

From the opening minutes, nothing settles.

Five turnovers in the first six minutes force two early timeouts in an attempt to slow things down, but it doesn’t make a difference. UConn jumps out to a 20-6 lead, turning every Syracuse mistake into points and taking control immediately.

By the end of the first quarter, it is already 33-8.

UConn shot over 70% in the opening quarter, getting whatever it wanted in transition, in the paint and from three. Syracuse couldn’t string together stops or possessions and was constantly chasing the game.
The second quarter puts it out of reach.

Syracuse’s offense stalled, managing just four points in the period and going long stretches without a field goal. On the other end, UConn kept building.

Another 32-point quarter sends the Huskies into halftime with a 65-12 lead, a 53-point gap that reflects exactly how the game played out.

“We came out… on the back foot,” Sophie Burrows said. “And against a team like UConn, you can’t come out like that.”

Azzi Fudd led the way with 34 points, knocking down eight threes and controlling the game from the perimeter. Sarah Strong added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Blanca Quiñonez contributed 18 more, as UConn’s offense came from everywhere. They spaced the floor, moved the ball and it showed in every part of the game.

For Syracuse, it wasn’t just one issue. It was everything.

The Orange turned the ball over twenty times, leading directly to 35 points for UConn. Every mistake became a runout, and even in the half court, Syracuse struggled to keep up with the ball movement and spacing.

When the shots were there, they didn’t fall.

Syracuse finished shooting 32.8% from the field and one-for-eighteen from three. That cannot happen in March. The second half didn’t change the result, but it did show something about this group. Both teams scored 17 in the third and 16 in the fourth, but the outcome was already decided. The pace evened out, but the damage was already done.

“We just needed to clean up that first half,” Burrows said.

After a difficult year, this group turned a corner. Picked near the bottom of the ACC, Syracuse grew into a team that fought its way back to the NCAA Tournament, built on belief and trust inside the locker room.

“I’m just really proud of the way we kind of turned that corner and believed in ourselves,” Burrows said. “No one believed in us, but we believed in ourselves… that sisterhood that we created.”

That belief showed up in players like Laila Phelia.

After dealing with a retinal detachment and questioning her future in basketball, she found stability in Syracuse through head coach Felisha Legette-Jack.

“When I talked to Coach Jack… she was the one coach that really truly felt and understood exactly what I was going through,” Phelia said. “Her confidence in me straight off the bat, it just gave me a sense of belief.”

That belief carried this team all season, even if it didn’t show on the scoreboard tonight.

“Syracuse deserves a better showing than we did today,” Legette-Jack said. “But I hope they saw the second half… we just didn’t do the best job in the first half.”

Uche Izoje led Syracuse with 12 points, while Phelia added 10, but there was never a stretch where the Orange could make the game competitive.

UConn finished 55.9% from the field and 50% from three, controlling every part of the night from start to finish.

The final score, 98-45, reflects it.

In March, you win to advance. For Syracuse, the season ends here, but what this team built all year doesn’t end tonight. It is belief, resilience, and a true sense of family that stays with them.

Legette-Jack’s Emotional Speech Caps 90-65 Win Over Boston College

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse closed out the regular season Sunday with a 90-65 rout of Boston College, the team that handed the Orange one of their most painful losses a year ago.

Freshman center Uche Izoje led the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds, her 13th double-double of the season. The Orange dominated the paint, outscoring the Eagles 56-34, and never let the game get close.

The win carried a layer of symmetry.

It was that same Boston College team that Syracuse blew a 17-point halftime lead to in last year’s ACC Tournament — a collapse that came during a difficult period that left Legette-Jack reflecting on her coaching future.

After the final buzzer and a ceremony recognizing the Orange’s graduating seniors, Legette-Jack took the microphone and delivered an emotional address. She explained to the crowd how this group of players rejuvenated her coaching spirit.

“I had brain surgery, and I didn’t take any time off,” she told reporters afterward. “I didn’t feel like myself, and I certainly didn’t coach as well as I wanted to.”

She credited transfers Dominique Darius and Laila Phelia, along with Izoje and senior Jasmyn Cooper, as the group that reignited her passion.

“Had they not come into our lives, we might be making different decisions right now,” she said. “The energy that jumped into my space was like, whoa.”

Her players felt it, too. Phelia said Legette-Jack’s belief in her roster has been a driving force all season.

“Coach Jack truly believes in the women that she has on her team,” Phelia said. “It just makes players out here want to fight for her… You always want to play for a coach who fights for you, and I feel like Coach Jack definitely is the definition of that.”

Syracuse — after being picked 13th in the ACC preseason poll after a 12-18 season — will head to the ACC Tournament as the No. 7 seed with a coach whose fire is burning again.

Syracuse vs. Boston College Women’s Basketball Senior Night 3/1/26 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Graduate student Cadence Dudley ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange game that faced Boston College’s Women’s Basketball team in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse survives late surge from Clemson on the shoulders of Sophie Burrows

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse women’s basketball picked up its 11th ACC win of the season behind a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double from Sophie Burrows. The 68-64 win over Clemson puts the Orange third in the ACC.

“What a gutsy performance that was by our team,” head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “I just really enjoy watching them figure it out. This is a microcosm of life. It’s my responsibility to help young people grow so they can figure out this life thing. I’m just so proud of the young ladies beside me.”

The double-double was Burrows’ first of the season and third of her career. Her 16 rebounds shattered her previous career high of 10.

“I just wanted to come in and try to impact the game in ways that wasn’t just scoring,” Burrows said. “Whether that was defense or offensive rebounds today, that was kind of my goal.”

Syracuse held Clemson scoreless for the first 3:34 of the game. The Orange took a 17-12 lead into the first quarter break, with all starters contributing multiple points or assists.

“One of the most special parts about our team is that we’re so deep,” Burrows said. “We have five people on the court constantly who can score and play defense.”

The Tigers picked up the pace in the second quarter, nearly matching the Orange bucket for bucket. Burrows’ 11 rebounds throughout the first half helped Syracuse maintain control of the game, and the Orange took a 34-28 lead into halftime.

“I think a lot of times rebounding is just the effort to go and get it,” Burrows said. “If they’re not going to box me out, then I’m going to try to get in there and help out the bigs a little bit on the glass.”

Laila Phelia came alive in the third quarter to help Syracuse stay in front 53-48. She finished the game with 17 points after combining for just eight over the last two matchups. She credited her teammates for the bounce-back performance.

“I definitely couldn’t have done it without them,” Phelia said. “Just them having my back and constantly staying in my ear regardless of the situation definitely helped me a lot.”

Clemson came out firing to start the fourth quarter, scoring six straight points to take their first lead 54-53 with 6:57 left to play. Burrows ended the run by draining a three to put Syracuse back on top 56-54. The Tigers stayed close, but the Orange never trailed the rest of the game.

Legette-Jack said she knew Burrows would be knocking down shots like that since she started recruiting her.

“When she plays, she’s locked and loaded. Her eyes [Burrows] are very focused on trying to be the best version of herself,” Legette-Jack said. “After she committed to us, she was playing in a tournament in Spain, and I flew over just to watch so she could know that I was really, really, really excited for her to be a part of this team.”

Eight of Burrows’ rebounds came on the offensive end. The Orange had 18 total compared to one for the Tigers. Syracuse continues to lead the ACC in offensive rebounds per game with 17.2, and Legette-Jack says they represent who this team is.

“Through offensive boards, you tell your story,” head coach Legette-Jack said. “You might beat us in a lot of things, but if you beat us in rebounds, that’s just an effort thing. It’s your heart. What do you stand for? What are you fighting for? What are you willing to get thrown out of the gym for? Go for an offensive rebound because that is your commitment to your dream.”

The Orange have a week off before heading to NC State to take on the Wolfpack next Sunday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Syracuse vs. Clemson Women’s Basketball 2/15/26 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Graduate student Cadence Dudley ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange game that faced Clemson’s Women’s Basketball team in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse can’t recover from scoreless quarter in 84–65 loss

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Orange women’s basketball fell to No. 6 Louisville Cardinals, 84–65 Sunday at the JMA Wireless Dome. This game was largely decided by how poorly the Orange opened. They missed shots, turned the ball over and had an inability to find rhythm until it was nearly too late.

The Syracuse community showed up to cheer the Orange on against a nationally ranked team. That belief became all too real when fans were forced to stand and cheer through an entire first quarter. Not because Syracuse was scoring, but because they were waiting for it.

Syracuse didn’t make a field goal in the opening ten minutes. From the opening tip, Louisville set a strong pace. The Cardinals opened on a 10–0 run, forcing an early Syracuse timeout and speeding the game up before the Orange could settle. Within the first four minutes, Syracuse had already turned the ball over four times.

Syracuse went 0-for-13 from the floor, missing open looks and rushed finishes, while Louisville hit 12 of its first 14 shots, shooting 86 percent and building a 28–6 lead. Syracuse wasn’t just outpaced. It was off. The only offense Syracuse could generate early came at the free-throw line.

Guard Sophie Burrows helped create those chances by attacking gaps and getting the ball inside to Uche Izoje, who accounted for Syracuse’s first points from the line. For an entire quarter, free throws were the Orange’s only way onto the scoreboard.

“We always talk about throwing the first punch,” Burrows said. “I think they just hit us first.”

That changed early in the second quarter when Dominique Darius finally broke through with a floater — Syracuse’s first made field goal of the game. From there, the offense ran almost entirely through her.

Darius scored 16 of her 22 points in the second quarter alone, attacking downhill, drawing fouls and converting at the free-throw line. Syracuse leaned heavily on the stripe during the stretch, using free throws to chip away possession by possession.

Behind Darius’ run, Syracuse erased much of a 22-point deficit and briefly cut the lead to five, giving the Dome its loudest stretch of the afternoon.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the rally showed both Syracuse’s potential and how costly the opening minutes proved to be.

“Credit to Louisville, they’re incredible,” Legette-Jack said. “We were down 20, and then we cut it to five, and then the fouls piled up on us. I thought we were really rolling in there. But today, the better team won.”

Louisville steadied itself before halftime and never allowed Syracuse to fully reset. The Cardinals continued to answer each push with disciplined possessions and timely scoring.

The second half followed a familiar pattern. Syracuse stayed within reach but couldn’t string together stops and baskets at the same time. Outside of Darius, Burrows and Izoje showed brief contributions, but no consistent scoring. Once again, the free-throw line became Syracuse’s most reliable source of offense as field goals stalled.

Meanwhile, Louisville showed balance. Laura Ziegler led the Cardinals with 22 points, anchoring an offense that placed four players in double figures. Each time Syracuse threatened to cut the deficit, Louisville responded, pushing the margin back to double digits.

With under five minutes remaining, Syracuse’s offense visibly shut off. Louisville closed the game efficiently, eventually sitting its starters and allowing its bench to finish out the 84–65 win. This win preserved their unbeaten road record.

Despite the loss, Syracuse pointed to the second-quarter response as a standard, even if it came too late.

“I think that really was Syracuse basketball at its finest,” Burrows said. “That’s how we need to play for 40 minutes if we want to play with teams like Louisville.”

That standard carried added weight Sunday, as Syracuse honored Kathrine Switzer for her role in expanding visibility and opportunity for women in sports, with many young girls in attendance throughout the Dome.

“That little kid in the stands who never saw basketball or sport before,” Legette-Jack said, “She’s watching how to become. And it’s our responsibility to give her our best effort.”

That responsibility, Legette-Jack said, made the loss sting even more.

“They’re hurting in that locker room right now,” she said. “They really tried to represent Syracuse the best way they could. They just weren’t good enough today, and that’s the truth.”

The response, she said, will come quickly.

“I guarantee you every single one of them will be in the gym Monday,” Legette-Jack said. “Because they really want to make this place proud.”

Syracuse didn’t lose because of effort alone. The Orange dug themselves too deep a hole, relied too heavily on the free-throw line for offense, and couldn’t recover against a national team.

It was a lesson Syracuse will have to use going forward.

Defense leads to Offense as the Orange defeat Georgia Tech 94-70

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Back at the Dome after a tough loss on the road against UNC, the Orange women’s basketball team (17-4, 7-3) dominated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-13, 4-6) to pick up its third consecutive home win.      

The Orange went on two commanding scoring runs throughout the first Half: a 9-0 run within the first two minutes of the game and a 12-0 run in the late stages of the first Half.    

“Making sure that we’re locked in on the defensive end, and our offense is going to come,” Laila Phelia said.  

Georgia Tech committed 12 turnovers in the first Half, and the Orange took advantage of the opportunity, scoring 14 of their 40 first-half points.   

Darius was delivering throughout the third Quarter, finishing with 20 points. That’s her fourth recorded 20-plus point performance of the season.   

“Dom Darius, she does it the best.” Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said.  

Uche Izoje was a monster on the glass, recording a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds, marking her 10th  double-double of the season and fourth in a row.    

“Uche is a great player,” Phelia said. “Watching her grow and step into her potential has been awesome. She’s definitely someone people are going to have to watch out for.”  

Laila Phelia made her mark on the court with 23 points and 9 of them coming in the third Quarter. Defensively, she made her presence felt, recording seven steals, marking a new career high.    

Syracuse continued its effort defensively throughout the second Half, forcing 19 Yellow Jackets’ turnovers and scoring 26 points off the turnovers.     

Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack got all her players on the court tonight, with 12 of the 14 getting on the score sheet.    

“I like that our bench came in, and we didn’t miss a beat,” Coach Jack said.  

Next up for the Orange is a trip to the Sunshine State this Sunday to take on Miami at 2 p.m. 

Stepping up in the name of Phelia – Orange women earn first program win against Stanford

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Leading scorer Laila Phelia was out this game due to an injury sustained in the overtime thriller vs California. Coach Jack says she wanted to be out there as much as anybody.

Fellow captain Dominque Darius picked up where she left off in Thursday’s win against Cal after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer. She says she knew she had to step up today playing her first game without her backcourt partner.

“We got your back,” Darius said to Phelia. “We all can step up and help each other out and fulfill what needs to be done when a teammate’s down.”

Darius delivered, scoring her career-high 26 points to lead Syracuse to a 69-58 win over Stanford. She admittedly said her game-winning 3-pointer against Cal was bigger than just that game.

“I think it was like a breakthrough for me,” Darius said.

Darius had three consecutive low-scoring games before her 19-point performance on Thursday.

“It’s not anybody else’s fault maybe that I was questioning myself,” Darius said. “I got in the gym, talked to my teammates, coaches about what I was going through and then I was able to pick it up and show up for them.”

Journey Thompson who earned the Bank of America Hard Hat of the Game, did all the little things to keep Syracuse ahead of Stanford team for majority of the game.

“I think I’ve always been someone who’s kind of willing to do whatever I have to do to make the team succeed,” Thompson said. “Having that support from both the coaches and my teammates makes it 10 times more fun to do.”

Jack had a message for the community about its lack of support for women’s sports.

“I’ve been all over this community. I’m from here, born here. I say this is my city… our city,” Jack said. “I’ve done my job and now it’s up to them to decide if they want to enjoy a women’s basketball game because we’re gonna play no matter what.”

Dominique Darius powers the Orange to the program’s first win over Stanford

From disaster to dagger: Syracuse survives Cal in triple OT war

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse’s night felt like three different games piled into one. The Orange built a 20-point second-half lead, watched it completely disappear, and still walked out of the JMA Wireless Dome with a 90–87 triple-overtime thriller over Cal thanks to Dominique Darius’ cold-blooded game-winner.

Syracuse came out flying, chasing down loose balls and dominating the offensive glass. 15 offensive rebounds in the first half kept possessions alive and let the Orange settle into an early rhythm. Laila Phelia set the tone with aggressive drives, while Sophie Burrows and Uche Izoje controlled the lane and helped Syracuse take a double-digit lead into halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, everything pointed toward a comfortable win — until it didn’t. Syracuse suddenly went ice cold around the rim, and Cal took advantage. The Golden Bears chipped away at the margin, then blitzed the Orange with a 25–9 fourth quarter that flipped the game on its head. Missed layups piled up, Cal started hitting, and a 20-point cushion evaporated within minutes.

Despite the meltdown, Syracuse collected itself. After Phelia briefly exited in visible pain, Burrows answered by scoring six straight points to lift the Orange emotionally and offensively. “I didn’t have much left,” Burrows said after playing nearly 50 minutes. “But we wanted to win so bad that I didn’t care how tired I was.”

From there, both teams traded punches through two exhausting overtimes, big rebounds, missed chances, and enough tense possessions to last a month.

Then came the decisive moment. With the clock running down in the third overtime, Darius was asked to run “horns down,” took the ball at the top, and buried a contested three with three seconds left. “I knew I was going to get a shot off,” she said. “I trusted it.”

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack called the win a “gut check,” explaining how proud she was of her team recovering from the blown lead. Syracuse ended the night with 29 offensive rebounds and four players in double figures, grinding out its first-ever win over Cal in a triple-OT game that felt like a turning point in the season.

Syracuse falls to Virginia Tech in one-sided home loss 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In her pregame speech, Syracuse head coach Felicia Legette-Jack told her team to expect a track meet against Virginia Tech. Legette-Jack’s scouting report was perfect, yet her team’s performance was anything but, as the Hokies trounced the Orange 77-57 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

“A track meet means two teams should be running,” Legette-Jack said. “Tonight, one team was running and the other was setting it up and waiting to be trapped.”

Syracuse particularly struggled from downtown – both offensively and defensively. The Orange were just 3-for-12 from deep, with two of their triples coming late in the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, excelled from long range, shooting 6-for-9 behind the arc.

“They were moving,” Legette-Jack said about Virginia Tech, “what we weren’t doing was moving with them.”

A six-minute scoreless stretch for the Orange at the beginning of the second quarter allowed the Hokies to build a 35-23 lead by halftime. Virginia Tech then opened the third frame on a 7-0 run and led 62-41 heading into the fourth.

“Put all the blame on me tonight,” Legette-Jack said. “I didn’t do the right job getting them ready.”

Syracuse falls to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in ACC play. The Orange will travel to Charlottesville on Sunday to face the red-hot Virginia Cavaliers at 2 p.m. UVA has won seven straight and defeated SU 70-67 last February at the Dome. 

Syracuse Starts off the New Year with a Bang

Syracuse opened the New Year on the right foot, defeating Florida State 82-72 to bounce back from an ACC loss to Duke and improve to 12-2 on the season.

From the opening tip, Syracuse set their tone with high energy and physicality, jumping out to a 26-14 first-quarter lead, while shooting 64 percent from the field. The Orange never surrendered the lead, controlling the game on the boards, in transition, and through their dominance in the paint. They won the physical battle decisively, grabbing 22 offensive rebounds, turning them into 19 second chance points and finishing with 48 points in the paint.

Freshman Uche Izoje delivered a monster performance, posting 21 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks on 10-of-13 shooting. Sophie Burrows repeatedly found her inside, which was a simple formula of success for the Orange.

“She’s such an amazing athlete. I just throw it up there and she gets it,” Burrows said. “Just throwing it up to the rubber, not many people can jump with her.”

Burrows made her own impact off the bench, playing 34 minutes and posting 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. Along with Burrows, Dominique Darius helped control the pace for the Orange, finishing second on the team with 19 points while adding five assists and her usual defensive spark to steady Syracuse during a late Florida State push.

“ACC play is tough. Teams are going to go on runs and it’s about how we respond. How we talk to each other and keep uplifting each other kept us in the game and allowed us to finish strong,” Darius said.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the performance reflected exactly who this group is becoming.

“It’s going to take the whole 40-plus minutes against anyone in the conference,” Legette-Jack said. “I really believe this is a fantastic team, I want them to know this is not a fluke. This is really who we are.”
Now 2-1 in ACC play, Syracuse is on a mission to prove they belong firmly in the conference conversation.
Syracuse opened the New Year on the right foot, defeating Florida State 82-72 to bounce back from an ACC loss to Duke and improve to 12-2 on the season.

Now 2-1 in ACC play, Syracuse is on a mission to prove they belong firmly in the conference conversation.

Syracuse vs. Howard Photo Gallery

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs. Colgate Pictures

Women’s Basketball vs. Virginia Tech Photo Gallery 01/08/2026

Syracuse escapes OT with a gritty 66-60 win over Auburn

SYRACUSE, NY- The Syracuse Orange notch a win for their conference in the ACC-SEC Challenge in a hardnose overtime battle.

While it was not a pretty offensive performance for the Orange, only shooting 34.9% from the field and 0-16 from three-point range, it was the effort outside the box score that fueled the Orange.

Crashing the boards, second effort on loose balls, active hands in passing lanes, and applying constant pressure on the Tigers allowed the Orange to outpace an athletic Auburn team.

The Orange finished with 15 steals, 7 blocks, and outrebounded Auburn 16-7 on the offensive glass.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack kept it simple when describing her teams fight.

“Ferocious,” Jack said. “It’s the kind of game I love. It’s called defense and we weren’t going to relinquish a single point.”

Freshman center Uche Izoje was an anchor of that mentality. She had a stellar performance, claiming her second double-double of her young career.

Izoje finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and added five blocks and a steal. This adds more to her resumé after being named ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday.

Free throw shooting from the Orange also provided an edge, especially late in the game. The Orange sank 22 of 27 free throws, good for 81 percent as a team.

The Orange finished with four players scoring in the double digits with senior guard Dominique Darius leading the way with 20 points.

Junior guard Sophie Burrows was one of those players with 11 points, and her four steals came up huge. Burrows intercepted a pass with 24 seconds left in overtime which led to her sinking two free throws to put the game out of reach.

“Honestly the ball just kind of ended up in my hands,” Burrows said. “The on-ball defense forced the pass my direction and I kind of got residuals of that.”

This was the first win over Auburn in program history. The Orange were 0-5 in previous matchups dating back to 1988.

The Orange are now set their sets to Dallas, as they travel to face SMU on Sunday at 3pm EST.

After tonight’s statement win, Coach Jack has a message for the rest of the country.

“We’re coming after everybody that’s in our way of our dreams,” Jack said. “We’re going to learn lessons, and we’re going to win.”

Syracuse Handles Howard to Remain Undefeated at Home

The Orange pick up another double-digit win to bounce back after their first loss.

After their first loss of the season to Michigan, Syracuse quickly regrouped with a 78-62 win over Howard to stay perfect at home. It took the Orange some time to settle in, leaving the crowd waiting for more than three minutes before the first field goal finally dropped.

“I thought we were being too casual. That’s not who we are. You get one chance to show one kid who came to the game for the first time what it looks like to play women’s basketball. And we missed those few minutes,” Coach Felicia Leggette-Jack said.

Once Syracuse found a rhythm, it took full control. Syracuse scored on seven straight possessions to close the first quarter and never trailed again. Dominant defense fueled the turnaround and created easy offense.

Uche Izoje delivered a standout performance with 20 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks, anchoring the interior on both ends. It was a balanced effort that carried the day alongside Izoje. Syracuse shot 50% from the field and had 14 players see the floor.

“We don’t have a go to player, we have a go to team,” Coach Leggette-Jack said.

Four players scored double figures, and Angelica Velez orchestrated the offense with nine assists, one shy of her season high.

“We like to play with pace and it’s my job to find our bigs and shooters. Moving forward we have to keep pushing the pace and make the right play,” Velez said.

They’ll have to keep that intensity up with their toughest home test yet in SEC/ACC Challenge against Auburn on Wednesday.

Syracuse has no answers for dominant No. 6 Michigan

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Syracuse women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack slumped into her chair with her head resting in her right hand during the third quarter of her team’s 81-55 loss to No. 6 Michigan.

Syracuse center Uche Izoje had just turned the ball over, marking the eighteenth giveaway of the game for the Orange. Michigan promptly took the ball in transition to score a wide-open basket.

The five second sequence was a complete encapsulation of the contest. Syracuse was outworked, outhustled and outmatched.

“I apologize to Michigan,” Jack said. “I don’t think that we’ve given them a good example of what competition looks like.”

The Wolverine defense suffocated Syracuse all afternoon. Traps were set all over the floor as the Orange carried the ball forward. No matter who was handling the rock, it felt like a double team was ready to swarm them.

“We (tell) our players, ‘don’t go to the corner,'” Jack said. “And they kept going to the corners… (It was) almost like I was getting punked out there myself.”

Michigan fought for every wooden panel on the court. For all 40 minutes, every square inch of Mohegan Sun Arena was theirs.

Michigan refers to itself as the hardest working team in the nation. On Sunday, they lived up that monicker. The Wolverines certainly outworked Syracuse. They dominated the glass, outrebounding the Orange 46-32.

“Our guards didn’t come to the boards,” Jack said. “That’s on them. We got boxed out and we stayed boxed out. That’s not who we are and that’s not what I coach.”

Jack’s squad failed to match the offensive firepower and depth of the Wolverines. Michigan guard Te’Yala Delfosse scored a game-high 21 points off the bench and shot 8-for-11 from the field. The reserves combined for 42 points.

“I think that’s what makes our team such a great team,” Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico said.

Coming into the game, Syracuse’s defense was impassable. The Orange built a wall around the basket with their smothering defense, holding opponents to just 49 points per game. Michigan’s combination of shot-making and ball movement knocked it down.

The Orange offense was the exact opposite. It was stagnant and stale. When they found open shots, very few of them fell.

Syracuse guard Sophie Burrows has been ice-cold shooting the ball through the first month of the season. That trend continued on Sunday, when she made just one of her ten field goal attempts and missed all seven of her three-point tries. Jack was blunt about her captain’s lack of production.

“She’s got to figure it out or I’ve got to sub her out,” Jack said. “I love her, but she’s got to get to the basket and get to the free throw line. She’s way better than she’s playing right now.”

After winning its first five contests of the season, the 26-point loss was a reality check for Syracuse. The Orange will need to improve if they want to be serious players on the national stage.

“I just thought that we got punked today,” Jack said. “We’ll continue to get better for sure.”

Defense, Discipline, and Darius: Syracuse’s Identity Shines in 61–49 Victory

Uncasville, CT – Syracuse women’s basketball made a statement Friday night, defeating Utah 61–49 in a physical matchup that tested the Orange’s identity and toughness.

Facing a Utes squad that reached the national tournament last season, Syracuse proved it could win through defense and discipline, despite Utes efforts to push the ball in transition.

“I did hear the coach multiple times tell them to go,’” said Laila Phelia, who finished with 14 points. “Just hearing that we had to keep up with it. Our defense won us that game. We played Syracuse basketball.”

After a slow first half, Dominique Darius sparked a second-half surge that helped the Orange seize control. Darius led the way with a double-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, setting the tone on both ends. Uche Izoje added 10 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, coming up just short of a double-double while anchoring the defense.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack credited her team’s rebounding and unity.

“We believe that offensive rebounding has nothing to do with skill, it’s about who you’re trying to become,” she said. “We’re just trying to see it through every second, every minute, every hour. We’re trying to get one percent better.”

Against Utah, Syracuse did exactly that.

Syracuse Women’s Basketball Dominates Defensively in Dome Win Against Wagner

Syracuse, NY — Despite losing the tip-off and earning their first points off a foul from the visiting Wagner Seahawks, the Syracuse Orange dominated Sunday afternoon’s non-conference matchup.

Putting on a show for the crowd and winning 78 to 29, Syracuse won by their highest margin since their 2016 Coppin State win (109-60). Ending the first quarter 22-4, the Orange defense was on display, led by graduate student Dominique Darius. 

Darius has proven to be a strong leader for the Orange on and off the court. Coach Felisha Legette-Jack attributed the fast turnaround from the bumps during the first couple of minutes to Darius, saying she was able to push the team’s energy and get them back on track. 

The Orange defense weakened in the second half, where they allowed a game-high of 13 points. Redshirt senior Priscilla Varela led the effort for the Seahawks, earning five of those points despite playing under five minutes. 

In the third quarter, the Orange decided to repeat their first quarter, going 22-4 once again. Continuing the tough defense from both teams, the Seahawks committed five fouls, where the Orange were able to translate 71.4% from the line. 

Coach Felisha Legette-Jack played out her full bench, with each player earning at least eight minutes. While Coach Jack doesn’t believe her team is quite at their best defensively, she’s optimistic about the team chemistry and their ability to work together through the rest of the season. She trusts her team leaders to bring the defensive play to a new high, and once again boasts Dominique Darius as one of these star leaders on the defense. 

The crowd was excited to welcome sophomore Olivia Schmitt back to the court after she was out for the first three games with a minor leg injury. Despite not being able to fully practice for the last month and a half, Schmitt earned 6 points in her 9 minutes. 

Another standout was Laila Phelia, the highly anticipated senior transfer from Texas, who earned 15 points for the Orange and shot 100% from the line, the paint, and the field. As another captain for the team, Phelia has already put up 37 total points and has cemented her place in the team. 

Syracuse is back at the dome, facing Howard on November 30th, their first matchup with the Bison since 2015.