Syracuse Women’s Basketball Gets Walloped By Duke 71-51 in ACC Home Opener
By Jared Valentin | @JaredValentin_
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — By capitalizing on Duke’s (7-6, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) turnovers, Syracuse women’s basketball (11-2, 1-1 ACC) had a seven-point lead seven minutes into the first quarter. Little did SU know, that would be the largest advantage it would have in the contest. A six-minute scoring drought that followed caught the Blue Devils back up to the Orange and kept Duke in front the rest of the way. Syracuse fell 71-51 in its ACC home opener to end a six-game win streak and suffer its first loss at home this season.
The first quarter ended in a 14-14 tie before the Blue Devils pulled away in the second. Duke outscored SU 19-8 in the frame to take an eleven point lead at halftime. The Blue Devils shot 50% from the field in the period and scored 14 of their 19 total second quarter points inside the paint. On the other hand, Syracuse didn’t gets its first points of the frame until a made jumper from guard Dominique Darius with under six minutes remaining in the opening half.
“It’s going to come down to how we respond. Things were going well in the first quarter, but we have to learn how to keep that and finish the game that way,” Darius said after the defeat. “Every possession we have to value better and really come out and hold each other accountable to make sure we’re dialed in every possession.”
Duke maintained its success attacking the interior for the entire game. The Blue Devils generated 46 points in the paint compared to the Orange’s 32 and shot 41% from the floor. Duke went a season-worst 2-14 from three but compensated with 17 made free throws. Individually, Duke forward Toby Fournier led all scorers with 22 points and was one of three Blue Devils in double-figures.
On the other side, the Orange got their scoring from Darius and guard Laila Phelia who combined for 29 points. While guard Sophie Burrows has started to find her groove this season as of late, the junior struggled against Duke. Burrows entered the contest having double-figures in four of her last five games but tallied only two points in the defeat. The guard shot 0-7 from three and went just 1-10 from the field.
“We want both sides of the ball to be played. We can’t retract offensively. You got to put that thing in the hole,” Syracuse head coach Felisha Leggette-Jack said after the loss. “We talked to her already and she understands that. One thing I love about my captains is that they own it.”
Despite the slump on offense, Burrows shined defensively. The junior racked up five steals, tying her career-high.
“She’s doing a tremendous job defensively,” coach Leggette-Jack stated. “She’s been doing a tremendous job all season long.”
Syracuse can bounce back when it continues conference play Thursday against Florida State (5-9, 0-2 ACC). The Seminoles are currently 17th in the conference standings. Tipoff is at 6 p.m. EST from the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. For all coverage of the second-half of the Orange’s season, follow @JaredValentin_ and @mhoffnyc on X/Twitter!
