Women's Basketball

Syracuse Advances to ACC Tournament Quarterfinals With Win Over California

DULUTH, Ga. (theACC.com) – No. 7-seed Syracuse never trailed in its 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament second round contest against No. 10-seed California, cruising to a 70-59 victory on Thursday, March 5.

Syracuse (23-7) advances to the semifinals of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, where the Orange will meet No. 2-seeded Louisville on Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Syracuse set the tone from the opening tip, racing out to a 9-0 lead and never looking back. The Orange shot a blistering 55.6 percent (10-of-18) in the first quarter, building a lead that swelled to as many as 17 points. On the defensive end, Syracuse smothered California, holding the Golden Bears to just seven points on 25 percent shooting (3-of-12) to claim a commanding 23-7 advantage after the first 10 minutes.

The momentum carried into the second quarter, where the Orange continued to dictate the pace. Syracuse again shot 50 percent (6-of-12) from the floor and extended its lead to 21 points following a step-back jumper from Laila Phelia. The Orange defense remained relentless, limiting Cal to 25 percent shooting (4-of-16) in the period. The Golden Bears managed just 16 points in the first half, 10 of which came in the paint, as Syracuse took a 37-16 lead into the break.

Out of the halftime break, the game quickly turned in the third quarter, as Cal outscored the Orange by 11 points to cut the deficit to just 10. The Golden Bears dropped 24 points in the frame, led by seven points by Sakima Walker.

California (19-14) continued to fight into the fourth quarter, shrinking the deficit to as few as four points with four minutes remaining in regulation. However, Syracuse managed to pull away down the stretch and pushed its lead back to 11. The Orange were led by Uche Izoje, who scored nine of her 23 points in the frame. In addition to her 23 points, Izoje finished with 10 rebounds and four blocks to log a double-double.

Walker led the Golden Bears with 19 points, while Lulu Twidale added 14 points and Gisella Maul poured in 13.