Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse women’s basketball team suffered its second home loss of the season on Thursday as Virginia Tech defeated the Orange 77-57 at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Orange (13-3, 3-2 ACC) and Hokies were tied 11-11 4:41 into the game, but Virginia Tech went on an 11-4 run to end the quarter and never trailed after that.
Virginia Tech (12-5, 2-3 ACC) led by as many as 26 points.
Aside from the opening high screen with the ball, Syracuse’s offense didn’t have much movement. The simple offense kept the basketball in front of Virginia Tech’s defense and made scoring difficult.
Prospective freshman center Uche Izoje scored 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting. But without the help of her teammates, Syracuse’s upside offense never materialized.
Izoje left the game briefly before halftime to have his right shin wrapped after a collision leading to an offensive rebound.
Virginia Tech did exactly what it wanted offensively. The Hokies have three players averaging at least 10 points; they had five scorers in double figures in Thursday’s win.
Redshirt junior guard Carleigh Wenzel led Virginia Tech with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting.
Syracuse entered Thursday night shooting 27.7% from three-point range. The Orange were 3 of 12 (25%) on 3-pointers against the Hokies and didn’t make their first drive until the 3:49 mark of the third quarter.
SU’s lack of outside scoring this season has made Izoje’s inside production the most important part of the Orange’s success.
And while Syracuse entered the night holding opponents to 27% shooting from beyond the arc, Virginia Tech was 6-of-9 on 3-pointers Thursday.
The only momentum Syracuse seemed to have was a 6-0 run to close the first half.
A 13-0 Virginia Tech run that started late in the first quarter and carried into the second gave the Hokies a 33-15 lead. The Orange couldn’t get a shot going and allowed offensive rebounds. Syracuse made matters worse with their inability to protect the basketball.
The first quarter told the story of the game. Syracuse was held to 37.5% shooting from the field as the Orange lacked shot creation. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, shot 47.6% in the quarter. Syracuse’s percentage dropped to 33.3% by halftime.
Another key drive of Thursday’s game came at the beginning of the third quarter. Virginia Tech used a 6-0 run, again fueled by poor shots and Syracuse turnovers, to extend its lead to 19 points with 7:38 left in the frame.
Syracuse’s next game is Sunday at Virginia (12-3, 4-0). The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and is set to tip off at 2 p.m. The Cavaliers are one of four ACC teams without a loss in conference play.
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