Box Score (PDF) | Quotes
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Syracuse faced Boston College for the second time in a week when the teams met in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
The rematch played out much differently than the game seven days ago at the Carrier Dome, but the end result was the same – and that ultimately was what mattered to the fifth-seeded Orange.
Kiara Lewis scored 21 points, and Digna Strautmane added 13 as Syracuse (13-7) held on for a 67-61 win and a spot opposite No. 4 Florida State in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. quarterfinal game at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The 13th-seeded Eagles (7-12) pulled within 63-61 with 17.9 seconds remaining when Makayla Dickens connected on her fourth 3-pointer of the fourth quarter. But Syracuse stopped the tide from completely turning, as Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi and Priscilla Williams each connected on a pair of free throws for the final six-point winning margin.
While Syracuse never trailed after wiping out an 11-10 BC lead with a 5-0 run to close the opening quarter, the game had a far different feel than last week’s 92-75 Orange win at the Carrier Dome.
Boston College never trailed by more than 10 points on Thursday, and remained in the game despite shooting 32 percent from the floor (6-for-27 on 3s) and being outrebounded, 43-36.
Lewis scored 13 of her 21 points in the opening half, which ended with Syracuse in front 31-27. Lewis and Amaya Finklea-Guity both delivered traditional three-point plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter, each of which pushed the Orange’s lead back to nine points.
Syracuse’s Emily Engstler pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds to go with eight points.
Dickens’ late hot hand left her as Boston College’s leading scorer with 14 points. Taylor Soule added 13, and Cameron Swartz followed up her 33-point game in Wednesday’s opening round with 11 for the Eagles.
NOTES
- Syracuse guard Tiana Mangakahia, honored by the ACC and Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association before the game as this year’s Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award winner, did not play Thursday due to a lower body injury. Engstler, the ACC Co-Sixth Player of the Year, started her first game of the season in Mangakahia’s absence. Mangakahia only missed one game during the regular season (Dec. 20 at Boston College) due to a left foot injury. Mangakahia, recognized with this year’s Bradley Award after her recovery and return to the team following breast cancer surgery, is the Orange’s third-leading scorer at 11.6 points per game.
- Florida State won the regular season meeting versus Syracuse by a 67-52 score Feb. 11 in Tallahassee.
- Syracuse improved to 8-7 all-time in ACC Tournament games.
- The Orange is now 15-1 all-time versus the rival Eagles under watch of current head coach Quentin Hillsman. Thursday marked the first time the teams had met in the ACC Tournament.