'Cuse Finishes Road Trip With Win At BC

Thursday, January 12

Chestnut Hill, MA

7 PM

Syracuse University

13-4,4-2ACC

Boston College

13-6,3-3ACC

Syracuse

Boston College

1/12/2023 9:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

The Orange concluded their two-game Atlantic Coast Conference road swing with an 83-73 victory against Boston College at Conte Forum. Senior guards Dyaisha Fair and Alaina Rice led the Orange to victory with outstanding effort. Fair led all players in scoring with 25 points, while Rice scored 17 points, marking her season high and tying her career high at SU.

Three other Orange finished with double-digits in the scoring column. Graduate center Dariauna Lewis logged her team-leading seventh double-double of the season, netting 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Redshirt-junior guard Teisha Hyman and graduate forward Asia Strong both scored 11 points as well.

Bench scoring was a difference maker against the Eagles, as Syracuse found 28 points from the bench, compared to Boston College's eight bench points.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED

After a 9-0 run from the Eagles (13-6, 3-3 ACC) at the end of the first half cut Syracuse's (13-4, 4-2) lead, 37-34, the Orange came out of the locker room ready for the third quarter. A layup from Lewis sparked a 15-5 'Cuse run. Lewis' layup was followed by back-to-back threes from Rice and Strong, growing the Orange advantage to 11, 45-34.

Rice stayed aggressive, draining a midrange jumper to prolong the run. Boston College answered with a free throw from Ally van Timmeren, but Fair responded immediately with a three. A Boston College layup was then followed by a two-point jumper from Lewis, capping the run with Syracuse leading by 15 with 5:36 left in the third quarter, 52-37.

Down double-digits, Boston College implemented a full-court press, allowing the hosts to jumpstart their offense to a 10-2 run. Van Timmeren drove for a layup, then made two-free throws at the 3:05 mark in the third quarter. Andrea Daley found Dontavia Waggoner for a lay-up, cutting the Orange lead to single-digits, 52-43. Boston College would finish the run with a pair of Daley free throws and a layup from Van Timmeren.

Both teams exchanged baskets to end the third quarter, with Syracuse holding an 11-point lead.

The Eagles continued to apply pressure in the fourth quarter. A three from JoJo Lacey would propel Boston College to a 9-0 run, capped by a Waggoner layup at the 6:44 mark, Syracuse leading, 63-59.

Syracuse would ice the game with 10 made free throws in the final three minutes, securing the 83-73 victory.

WHAT COACH LEGETTE-JACK SAID

"So many lessons we learned in this game. The words of the day were tenacity and purpose," head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said after the game. "What is your purpose going to be in this game? I thought Alaina [Rice] really let that resonate. She came out with such laser sharp focus and we just fed off of her today."

RICE IS READY!

In the first quarter, the Orange got a boost from Rice. The senior guard came off the bench and scored 7 of Syracuse's 21 first quarter points.

She converted a midrange jumper then finished on the fast break to put Syracuse up, 10-8, with 4:56 left in the first frame. Rice then found separation and drained a three-pointer for her seventh points of the quarter, putting 'Cuse up 15-11 at the 3:33 minute mark in the first quarter.

Rice finished the game with a season-high 17 points on 6-9 shooting from the field. The Rockledge, Fla., native also grabbed five rebounds, provided two assists and recorded a game-high five steals across 27 minutes.

TURNOVERS GALORE

Both defenses came out aggressive at the Conte Forum. Syracuse and Boston College registered 26 combined turnovers in the first half. Rice led Syracuse with three steals after the first half, while Hyman turned the ball over six times over the first 20 minutes.

The game finished with 44 combined turnovers, with the Orange scoring 28 points off 22 Boston College turnovers.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Rice finished with 17 points, setting her season high and tying her career high
Fair scored 20+ points for a third straight contest and ninth time this season
Lewis recorded her seventh double-double of the season (11 pts., 10 reb) and second-straight

UP NEXT

The Orange return to the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. for a marquee ACC matchup against #7 Notre Dame. Sunday is also Doggy Day and Otto's Kids Club Day at the Dome. For more details regarding the promotion, click here.