Orange Comeback to Defeat Virginia

Sunday, January 11

Charlottesville, VA

2 PM

Syracuse University

14-3,4-2ACC

Virginia

13-4,5-1ACC

Syracuse

Virginia

1/11/2026 4:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Laila Phelia Interview Photo Gallery

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- The Syracuse women's basketball team (14-3, 4-2) defeated Virginia (13-4, 5-1) to hand the Cavaliers their first ACC loss of the season. Laila Phelia's career-high 38-point game helped the trailing Orange soar past Virginia 79-60.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Phelia kicked off the game, scoring in back-to-back possessions with a field goal and a bucket beyond the arc. The Orange offense had a slow start in the first quarter until an Angelica Velez inbound to Sophie Burrows, who hit a corner three-pointer - her first of seven in the game. Uche Izoje added another two points to the board to close out the quarter with Syracuse trailing by five, 17-12.

Another corner three-point shot from Burrows early in the second quarter helped chip away at the Cavaliers' lead. Phelia found the net easily in the second quarter, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and 3-for-4 at the free throw line. The Orange entered the locker room down 34-28 to Virginia.

A series of shots started the third quarter off strong for the Orange. Izoje made both of her free throws from the line to give SU its first lead of the game since the opening basket. Two back-to-back steals by Olivia Schmitt resulted in Phelia adding more points to the board to keep the game tight. A foul on Virginia put Phelia at the line to seal a 51-49 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Burrows knocked down four shots from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, extending the SU lead over the Cavaliers. 'Cuse finished the game on a 15-2 scoring run including baskets from Keira Scott, Burrows and Phelia to make the comeback 79-60 win over Virginia.

OF NOTE

Syracuse outscored UVA 51-26 in the second half.
Laila Phelia scored a new career high of 38 points (previously 30 vs. Indiana, March 3, 2024).
Phelia reached 1,500 points in her career in the win.
Phelia is the first player to score 35+ points for the Orange since Dyaisha Fair (38) against Boston College on Feb. 4, 2024
Sophie Burrows shot 7-for-8 from beyond the arc and recorded five steals.
Kiera Scott shot a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.
Olivia Schmitt led the team with a season-high five assists.
Uche Izoje had a team-high seven rebounds.
Aurora Almón made the first start of her Syracuse career.
The Orange tallied 12 steals and three blocks against the Cavaliers.

UP NEXT
Syracuse will welcome California to the East Coast on Thursday, January 15. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Tickets for Thursday's game are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting cuse.com/basketballtickets.

For more on the Syracuse women's basketball team, follow @CuseWBB on social media.