No. 15 Orange Sink Boston College

Sunday, February 10

Syracuse, N.Y.

2 PM

Syracuse University

Boston College

2/10/2019 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – New look, same Orange.

The No.15-ranked Syracuse women's basketball team, sporting pink uniforms in support of breast cancer awareness in the annual Play 4 Kay game, cruised past Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Boston College, 96-69, Sunday afternoon inside the Carrier Dome. The Orange improved to 18-5 overall and 7-3 in conference play with the victory.

Senior forward Miranda Drummond's 24-point effort, including six made three-pointers, propelled Syracuse to its sixth 90-point scoring output of the season and its first conference victory with 95+ points since Feb. 12, 2017.

Sophomore forward Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi and freshman forward Emily Engstler contributed double-digit scoring performances, as well. Djaldi-Tabdi matched her career high with eight field goals, scoring 16 points and pulling down six rebounds. Engstler scored 10 points - her fourth double-digit output of her rookie season - and had six rebounds.

"I thought our players came out and played really well and played with some urgency," head coach Quentin Hillsman said. "We talked about coming back home and taking home court, and I think we did a really good job of doing that."

Down by three midway through the opening quarter, the Orange brushed off the adversity and never looked back. Syracuse strung together a 19-8 run over the last five minutes to complete shifting the momentum for the remainder of the game.

Drummond was stroking it from the floor early on, scoring 12 points on three-pointers in the first quarter. Guard Tiana Mangakahia, meanwhile, commanded the court as she normally does, dishing out seven assists in the first.

Mangakahia had 12 assists in the contest - her sixth game of 10 or more assists this season.

Using a torrid shooting pace, Syracuse turned that three-point deficit into an 11-point lead by the end of the first. The Orange shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the first quarter, and they were just warming up.

Syracuse connected on 64.7 percent of its shots in the second quarter, thoroughly outworking Boston College until the horn sounded. Drummond drained two more threes in the second quarter, as she finished the first half with a team-high 18 points thanks to six made three-pointers.

"I felt like I was more open this game," Drummond said. "I felt like Boston College was more focused on defending inside on our post players, so that created the open shot for me."

Djaldi-Tabdi, meanwhile, was unstoppable in the paint throughout the game. She did much of her damage in the second quarter, as she was a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor and had three rebounds.

The Orange entered the half with a 53-34 advantage, with 53 points marking the most Syracuse has scored in a first half of play this season. The second half was no different from the first, as the Orange opened their largest lead of the game - 34 points - with a minute left to go in the fourth quarter.

The Orange's five-game homestand is just getting started. NC State comes to the Carrier Dome next, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13.

The game is Syracuse's annual Doggy Day, sponsored by Crouse Health, and fans are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends to the Dome. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at 1-888-DOMETIX, or by visiting the Carrier Dome box office (Gate B) during normal business hours.

For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.