#20/18 Orange Begin ACC Play Thursday

The #18/20 Syracuse Women's Basketball team (3-0) begins Atlantic Coast Conference play on Thursday night at Miami (3-0). The Orange and Hurricanes will play primetime at 8 p.m. on ACC Network with Debbie Antonelli and Beth Mowins G'90 on the call.

Travel day to the 305 ✈️@accwbb 🔜 pic.twitter.com/Lj8sixquWq
— 'Cuse Hoops (@CuseWBB) December 10, 2020

Syracuse, projected to finish third in the ACC according to the league's 15 head coaches, begins its conference season on the road for the fifth-straight year. The Orange are 10-20 all-time against the Hurricanes and are looking for their first win at the Watsco Center since Feb. 1, 2016 (57-51). Head Coach Quentin Hillsman and his squad are 4-4 against the Canes during his tenure, most recently beating Miami 92-58 in the 2019 ACC Tournament Quarterfinals.

Four Orange are averaging double figures in scoring this season with freshman Kamilla Cardoso leading the way (14.3 ppg). Syracuse's backcourt of Tiana Mangakahia and Kiara Lewis average a combined 25.4 ppg and Lewis leads the ACC with 3.0 steals per game.

Syracuse's defense has been dominant in its young season. The Orange are holding opponents to 26.7 percent from the field which leads the ACC and ranks fifth nationally. Syracuse's 8.3 blocks per game is the best in the ACC and fourth-best in all of Division I women's basketball and the team's 35.0 defensive rebounds per game is good enough for second in the ACC and eighth in the country.

Miami is led by Kelsey Marshall (18.7 ppg) and has outscored its three in-state opponents by 23.0 ppg. The Hurricanes have picked up non-conference wins against Jacksonville (74-58), North Florida (81-39) and Florida Atlantic (73-61). Briana Jackson leads the team with 8.0 rebounds per game and defensively the Hurricanes are holding opponents to 52.7 points per game this season.

There will be no public admission to Thursday night's game at the Watsco Center.

To stay updated on the Orange, follow @CuseWBB on Twitter and Instagram.