SU Advances By Beating BC

Thursday, March 4

Greensboro, N.C.

2:30 PM

Syracuse University

Boston College

3/4/2021 5:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Postgame Press Conference | Coach Hillsman Postgame Press Conference | Kiara Lewis Postgame Press Conference | Emily Engstler

Kiara Lewis tallied her second-straight 20-point game and Syracuse (13-7 overall, 10-7 ACC) trailed just once in a 67-61 triumph against Boston College (7-12 overall, 2-12 ACC) in the first round of the ACC Tournament Thursday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C.

Lewis finished with a game-high 21 points and five assists. Digna Strautmane had 13 points and eight boards, Amaya Finklea-Guity had a season-high 12 points and Emily Engstler contributed eight points and a season-best 15 rebounds.

HOW THE GAME WAS DECIDED
Syracuse fought off two fourth-quarter rallies by the Eagles. First, Boston College closed the gap to two, 48-46, with 7:24 left. The Orange fought off that challenge with seven unanswered points, five of which were scored by Lewis. A free throw by Lewis with 32 seconds left provided Syracuse a 62-55 advantage.

The Eagles got consecutive 3-pointers from Cameron Swartz and Makayla Dickens that were sandwiched around a free throw from Syracuse's Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi. It left the Orange in front, 63-61, with 18 seconds remaining. Boston College then fouled Djaldi-Tabdi, who converted both free throws to secure the victory.

LEWIS KEYS STRONG START
Boston College managed to grab a lead in the first quarter, 11-10, with 2:49 left in the period. Lewis made short order of that deficit, posting back-to-back conventional three-point plays to provide the Orange with a 16-11 margin at the end of the quarter.

Syracuse's advantaged was cut to one point on two occasions in the second quarter, the last at 22-21. A jumper from Engstler, follwed by two free throws from Lewis extended the edge to five. At halftime, the Orange led, 31-27.

EXTENDING THE ADVANTAGE
Engstler and Strautmane knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during an eight-point run midway through the third quarter to give the Orange a 10-point margin, 41-31, that represented the largest lead of the game. Strautmane contributed a jumper with 1:45 left in the period and Finklea-Guity added on a free throw before the quarter ended with Syracuse in front, 46-37

DOING IT WITH DEFENSE
Syracuse's defense limited Boston College to 20-of-63 (.317) from the field, including a 6-of-27 (.222) effort on 3-point attempts. The Orange won the battle of the boards, 43-36.

MISSING TIANA
Syracuse had to battle Boston College without senior guard Tiana Mangakahia. She was on the sideline with a lower body injury that was suffered in the team's final regular-season game last Sunday against NC State.

Mangakahia, a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, received the 2021 ACC Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award prior to the contest.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Emily Engstler ripped down a season-high 15 rebounds in her 22nd career game with 10+ boards
Kiara Lewis passed Gabby Cooper (1,117 pts) for 21st on the program's career scoring list (1,127)
Lewis recorded the 15th 20-point game of her career
Digna Strautmane passed Kristen McCory (1,046 pts) for 28th on Syracuse's career points ledger (1,048)
Amaya Finklea-Guity scored a season high in points (12), which featured a 5-of-7 effort from the field.

The Orange return to action tomorrow to face the No.4 seed, Florida State, in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. The matchup will air at 2:30 p.m. on RSN/Yes Network.