Syracuse University
23-8,12-6ACC
Louisville
26-6,15-3ACC
'Cuse Fall in Quarterfinal Round of Ally ACC Tournament
3/6/2026 6:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
DULUTH, Ga. — The No. 7 seed Orange women's basketball team (23-8, 12-6) fell to No. 2 seed Louisville (26-6, 15-3) in the quarterfinal round of the Ally ACC Women's Basketball Tournament, 87-61.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A defensive battle between the Orange and the Cardinals kept both teams scoreless for the first 2:58 of play. Laila Phelia put the Orange on the board with a layup as Aurora Almon found Uche Izoje down the court to score the first points of the game. Olivia Schmitt drew a foul to give 'Cuse one last possession in the first quarter, allowing Izoje to add another two points to the score. Izoje beat the buzzer with a layup, but the Orange trailed 25-12 after the first 10 minutes of play
The Orange utilized Izoje in the paint, as the ACC Rookie of the Year added three baskets in a row for 'Cuse. SU found its groove, scoring through open gaps in the paint in the second quarter and converting on three consecutive possessions. Jasmyn Cooper entered the game, scoring the first 3-pointer for SU. The Orange picked up the pace, outscoring Louisville 21-20 in the second quarter while adding three blocks against the Cardinals, but it wasn't enough as 'Cuse trailed 45-33 heading into the locker room.
Sophie Burrows hit a shot from beyond the arc for Syracuse's first points of the second half. Burrows then snuck through a crowd of defenders to add a layup and hit a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 run for the Orange. The Orange stepped up defensively, recording two blocks and four steals in the third quarter and keeping Louisville scoreless for 4:58 of play. Louisville hit a 3-pointer before the buzzer to narrowly outscore the Orange in the third quarter and hold a 62-47 advantage over 'Cuse.
Izoje and Schmitt added baskets to the score for Syracuse, as Burrows and Cooper shot 4-for-4 from the line in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. The Orange continued to fight, but the Cardinals upheld their lead, defeating Syracuse 87-61 in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Ally ACC Women's Basketball Tournament.
OF NOTE
- Uche Izoje recorded her ninth game of scoring 20-plus points this season.
- Izoje has scored 20-plus points in three consecutive games (22 vs. Louisville, March 6; 23 vs. California, March 5; 24 vs. Boston College, March 1).
- Sophie Burrows scored in double figures for the 17th time this season.
- Jasmyn Cooper scored a career-high 11 points and tallied a career-best five rebounds.
- Cooper played a career-high 18 minutes against the Cardinals.
- Olivia Schmitt made her first start of the season against the Cardinals.
- Madeline Potts played a season-high 21 minutes against the Cardinals.
- Syracuse tallied nine steals and six blocks against Louisville.
UP NEXT
The Orange look to continue their season in the NCAA Tournament starting Friday, March 20. The 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Selection Sunday show will be held March 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
For more on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow @CuseWBB on social media.
