Syracuse University
9-3,6-3ACC
Notre Dame
8-7,6-5ACC
Mangakahia Leads ‘Cuse to 81-69 Win
1/31/2021 3:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Syracuse improved to 9-3 overall, 6-3 in the ACC and a perfect 6-0 at home on Sunday afternoon. The Orange used a 23-point fourth quarter to come-from-behind and defeat Notre Dame, 81-69, at the Carrier Dome. It is the largest margin of victory over the Irish in program history.
Tiana Mangakahia earned her third double double of the season and fell one rebound shy of a triple double with 19 points, 11 assists and a season-high nine rebounds. She scored 13 of her 19 points in the second half. ACC Freshman of the Week Kamilla Cardoso was second on the team in scoring with 18 points, seven rebounds and a career-high nine blocks.
"The mistakes we made were erased by Kamilla," said Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman after the win. "That's why you pick up a post player like her, who can block shots and change the game defensively and she really changed the game down the stretch."
Four Syracuse players scored in double figures in the win. Alongside Mangakahia and Cardoso, Kiara Lewis and Priscilla Williams added 16 and 11 points, respectively.
Syracuse took control of the game early connecting on 3-of-4 3-pointers in the first quarter. Syracuse held a 11-4 lead but the Irish responded with a 24-4 run to close out the opening frame and lead by 13, 28-15, at after the first quarter.
Notre Dame extended the lead to as many as 15, 30-15, early in the second quarter and maintained a double figure lead for the entire period. The Irish shot an impressive 57 percent from the field in the first half. Syracuse's Williams closed the half with a 3-pointer to cut the Irish lead to 10, 44-34, at the half.
A 5-0 run midway through the third quarter pulled the Orange within five, 51-46, to force an Irish timeout. Notre Dame's Dara Mabrey hit a pair of treys, but Emily Engstler answered from deep to keep 'Cuse within 10. Mangakahia made her fourth triple of the contest to make it a seven-point game, 65-58, at the end of the third quarter.
Kiara Lewis notched her 1,000th career point at Syracuse from downtown to tie the game at 67-all with five minutes remaining in the game. A three by Williams pushed Syracuse's lead to five, 74-69, and the Orange never turned back. Syracuse finished the game on a 26-4 run
Syracuse forced 18 Irish turnovers scoring 15 points off the Irish mishaps, and had a combined 23 assists on 28 points of the team's 81 points.
Of Note:
- Kamilla Cardoso's nine blocks ties the fourth-most blocks in a game in program history; the most by a Syracuse player since Kayla Alexander also had nine against Delaware State (12/4/10)
- Mangakahia's 19 points moves her ahead Jaime James (1,215) for 16th-most points in program history (1,228)
- Mangakahia's five 3-pointers was a career high and she tied her season-high in points (19)
- Cardoso grabbed her 100th career rebound and it was the 10th career double-digit scoring game for the freshman
- Digna Strautmane's three-pointer ties her with Teakyta Barnes for eighth in program-history (148)
- Priscilla Williams dished out a career high three assists
The Orange are back in action Tuesday when they head to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech on Tuesday evening. The matchup will air on ACC Network Extra at 7 p.m. Fans can watch live on the ESPN App.
