Syracuse women’s basketball (22-7, 12-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) needed to get right against Boston College (5-26, 1-17 ACC) after losing two straight games. SU wasted no time doing just that in its 90-65 win over BC. The Orange started the game on a 15-2 run and never looked back.
“We just didn’t play our game,” SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said about the previous two losses. “We had to lock into more of us, and that's what this game was all about. It wasn't about playing Boston College or any other university. It was about us coming back to who we are.”
The catalyst for the ‘Cuse early on was forward Uche Izoje, as she has been all year. The freshman already had 15 points at the half. But it wasn’t just the scoring. Izoje had seven rebounds and two blocks in that time frame as well.
“I just don't know how to put it into words how far [Izoje] has come,” Jack said. “She's been driven by a dream of playing this game at a high level. She's different from a lot of people who came from overseas. She is a lot more mature… And to see what she's evolved into as a student athlete, you can't really put it in a word.”
Izoje finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, her 13th double-double of the year.
But it was a balanced SU attack. 11 players scored in the win, and four reached double figures. One was guard Dominique Darius with ten points. After starting slow in the two-straight losses prior to the game, the senior made an effort to get going early on.
“It put a fire up our belly,” Darius said. “We just didn't punch first, and I think we learned those lessons. We have the opportunity to apply them in the postseason, and that's what we have to do. We have to execute and apply those things, and we'll be fine.
It was a pure domination in all facets of the game for Syracuse. The ‘Cuse entered as the third-best overall rebounding team in the ACC, and top of the league in offensive boards. Both of those were keys for SU. The ‘Cuse out-rebounded the Eagles 56-25 with 21 offensive boards, leading to 28 second-chance points.
“I challenged them to show me who they were,” Jack said. “We talk about fight all the time. We punch back and push forward.”
But the win wasn’t just a domination; it was also a celebration. The Orange held an emotional senior day ceremony after the game.
“We're a really close family,” SU forward Journey Thompson said. “There was a lot of happiness, and there were some tears. We know it's not our last game, so we're trying to stay positive and keep playing more games with our teammates… But knowing that we've got to leave is hard to handle.”
SU ended the regular season in style and now shifts its focus to the ACC tournament.
“I think for us, we're excited to get going and keep dancing into the ACC tournament and in March,” Darius said. “We're equipped, and we're ready. We've done the work all year, from the summer until now.”
Syracuse has a first-round bye as the seven seed and awaits the winner of the game between 10th-seeded California and 15th-seeded Wake Forest. The Orange get going in Duluth on Thursday.
