#21 Syracuse Falls Short at #13 Duke

Thursday, January 8

Durham, N.C.

6:30 p.m.

Syracuse University

10-5 (0-2ACC)

#13/12 Duke

11-4 (2-0ACC)

Syracuse

#13/12 Duke

1/8/2015 9:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Fondren layup rims out in the final seconds

DURHAM, N.C. – A 3-point field goal from junior guard Brianna Butler tied things up with 52 seconds to play, but the No. 21 Syracuse University women's basketball ultimately suffered a 74-72 loss at No. 13/12 Duke on Thursday night. Redshirt freshman guard Rebecca Greenwell sank two free throws with 26 seconds remaining to win the contest for the Blue Devils.

"They did what they had to do at the end of the game," head coach Quentin Hillsman said. "They made plays to win the basketball game. I thought overall, we made some plays down the stretch to get us back in the ball game. Brianna Butler was amazing. She made some big shots for us."

Syracuse (10-5, 0-2) had a chance to tie the game in the final possession of the night. Senior guard Diamond Henderson missed a jumper, but junior guard Cornelia Fondren grabbed the offensive board. Fondren put up a layup, but it rolled off the rim and Duke (11-4, 2-0) came away with the victory.

Butler had a season-high 23 points to lead the Orange at historic Cameron Indoor Stadium. The junior guard knocked down seven 3-point field goals, matching her career-high. Sophomore guard Alexis Peterson tallied 18 points and Henderson had 15 points on Thursday night.

Duke could not miss from beyond the 3-point arc in the opening half. The Blue Devils knocked down its first four 3-point field goal attempts and was 12-for-17 from the field overall, holding a 34-21 lead with 7:16 remaining in the first half.

Syracuse eventually started to chip away at the lead, outscoring its opposition, 16-11, in the final seven minutes of play. Despite the Orange run, the host Blue Devils went into the locker room with a 45-37 advantage after the opening 20 minutes of action.

Henderson recorded 10 points to lead the Orange in the first half of play. It marked the sixth straight contest she has scored in double-figures. She knocked down three 3-point field goals in the opening half.

Duke extended its lead to 54-41 out of the halftime break. Syracuse went on 10-2 run to make it a five-point game with 13:24 remaining. Butler knocked down two 3-point field goals during that stretch, while Henderson was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

The host team responded with a run of its own to put the game back in its hands. Duke outscored Syracuse, 9-2, to take a 65-53 edge with 7:22 left in regulation.

The visiting Orange would not go quietly. In the final seven minutes of play, the squad crept back in the game thanks to quality shooting from Butler and Peterson. Butler knocked down three 3-point field goals, including the game-tying at 52 seconds, and Peterson had seven points in that stretch. Ultimately, it was not enough as the team suffered its fifth loss in 2014-15 to a top-25 opponent.

The Syracuse University women's basketball team will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when it hosts ACC-foe Virginia. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.