Syracuse women dominate Pitt, remain undefeated in ACC play

The No. 12 Syracuse Women’s basketball team easily took down Pittsburgh on Thursday night, 82-50, winning their ninth straight game.

However, the game wasn’t always in control for Syracuse Head Coach Quentin Hillsman. Syracuse (15-2, 4-0) found themselves ahead 14-7 with just four minutes remaining in the first quarter but gave much of that lead back to a Pittsburgh (9-9, 0-4) 9-0 run in just under a minute of play. The Orange still finished the quarter up 21-16.

Sophomore Digna Strautmane, who finished the game with 22 points and three rebounds, poured in three 3-pointers in the second quarter to give the Orange a 6-point lead going into halftime.

Junior Tiana Mangakahia led the Orange in scoring in the second half with 11 points, 9 of those coming in an explosive third quarter in which Syracuse poured in 28 points to the Panthers’ eight. The third quarter began with a 10-3 run from the Orange with baskets coming exclusively from Mangakahia and Strautmane.

Both players have emerged as leaders for the Orange this season. Mangakahia has been a clear leader for the Orange the past two seasons, averaging 16 points and just under eight assists per game this season. The junior is coming off an excellent 34-point, 10 assist and 10 rebound game against North Carolina in the Orange’s third ACC win.

Hillsman’s team remains undefeated in ACC play following their team win over Pittsburgh, moving to 4-0 in conference play. The Orange remain one of three undefeated teams in the ACC, along with NC State and Notre Dame — the first-ranked team in the country. Louisville also sits at No. 4 in the country but already lost to Notre Dame.

Syracuse now shifts the focus to Georgia Tech, a team in the middle of the pack of the ACC. The Yellow Jackets are 2-3 in conference play and 12-6 overall. In such a competitive conference like the ACC, the Orange must take care of games like this if they want a shot at the conference title in March.

Syracuse will face the Yellow Jackets Sunday at 2 p.m. in Atlanta.