SU women’s basketball upsets No. 18 Ohio State 97-91

Hyman's career-night helps SU women upset No. 18 Ohio State

Hyman, Carr and Murray combine for 74 points in the Orange's statement win in the Dome.
Published: December 2, 2021
Najé Murray (10) and Chrislyn Carr (32) combined for 44 points in Syracuse's win at the Dome on Wednesday night.
Najé Murray (10) and Chrislyn Carr (32) combined for 44 points in Syracuse's win at the Dome on Wednesday night.

Syracuse Orange women’s basketball pulled out a marvelous 97-91 upset win against the No. 18 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at the Dome on Wednesday night.

SU (now 4-4) entered the B1G/ACC Challenge just below the .500% mark searching for a defining win, while Ohio State bullied their way to an undefeated 5-0 record winning by an average of 36.0 points.

The first quarter started sluggishly for the Orange, allowing the Buckeyes to trample them and grab an early 15-3 lead. OSU forward Rebeka Mikulášiková pummeled her way into the paint, accounting for 11 of her 16 points in the quarter alone.

More than halfway through the quarter, the Orange offense woke up as redshirt sophomore Teisha Hyman and graduate student Najé Murray led a 9-2 run to force an Ohio State timeout. Hyman and Murray kept the Orange in the game, combining for 15 of the team’s 17 points in the quarter. By the quarter’s end, the Orange trailed 17-23.

Syracuse coaches Vonn Read and John Marcum discuss tactics during the upset on Wednesday night.

Syracuse coaches Vonn Read and John Marcum discuss tactics during the upset on Wednesday.

Teisha Hyman looks for a lane to drive for two of her career-high 30 points against Ohio State.

Teisha Hyman looks for a lane to drive for two of her career-high 30 points against Ohio State.

The second quarter continued where the first quarter left off, with a rapid tempo increase as both sides traded buckets.

SU’s Hyman and Murray kept up their connection, creating scoring opportunities for others while in transition. Murray accounted for seven of her 21 total points in the quarter.

Senior guard Taylor Mikesell kept the Buckeyes afloat in the second and recorded eight points in transition by opening the floor for her teammates.

Alaysia Styles screams after a huge bucket in the upset win over Ohio State at The Dome.
Alaysia Styles, who chipped in 10 points, celebrates a late bucket to seal the upset over the Buckeyes.

Graduate student forward Alaysia Styles aided the Orange defense in matching the Buckeyes’ physicality, bashing bodies and bringing the Orange within three by the end of the first half, 36-39.

The third quarter became the offensive turning point in the game, as the Orange punched their way through to effectively take over. Hyman had the hot hand and broke down the Buckeyes’ defense by scoring from all angles. She netted 10 of her career-high 30 points in the quarter.

“Teisha, she’s a special player, and this is what she’s capable of. She did it on a big-time stage,” Coach Vonn Read said. “For her to be able to do it on this stage, I’m so happy for her.”

SU senior guard Christianna Carr caught some of the fire herself, scoring all of her nine points in the quarter. Halfway through the third, SU’s Styles subbed out with four fouls, which allowed junior guard Alaina Rice to make her impact. She put home a layup to cap off a 9-3 run to end the third quarter leading 65-58.

Najé Murray drives on OSU's Rebeka Mikulášiková for two of her 21 points.
Najé Murray drives on OSU's Rebeka Mikulášiková for two of her 21 points.

As the fourth quarter started, eyes shifted from Hyman and Murray to senior guard Chrislyn Carr. Through the first three quarters, Carr only accounted for two free throws while in search of her stroke, eventually rising to the spotlight to lead the Orange to victory.

Carr sliced through the Buckeyes defense, scoring SU’s first 11 points of the quarter, eventually accounting for 21 of the team’s 32 fourth-quarter points. She finished with 23 total points for her third straight 20-point game.

“Najé came up and grabbed my hand and said, ‘it’s your quarter’,” Chrislyn Carr said. “That motivated me hearing it from my teammate and knowing they believe in me. It means a lot.”

Buckeyes junior guard Jacy Sheldon drained multiple three-pointers and transition buckets for 15 of her team-high 23 points. But in the end, the Orange completed the upset and the statement win they needed.

The Orange will look to continue their momentum against Central Connecticut State this Sunday at 2 p.m.