Orange Defeat Demon Deacons in Comeback Thriller

Sunday, February 11

Winston-Salem, N.C.

2:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

18-7 (6-6ACC)

Wake Forest

11-14 (3-9ACC)

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Syracuse	9	20	25	17	71
Wake Forest	17	28	8	8	61

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

2/11/2018 3:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Down 16 at the half, the Syracuse women's basketball team completed the comeback to knock off Wake Forest, 71-61, Sunday afternoon at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Orange move to 18-7 and 6-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference action, while the Demon Deacons drop to 11-14 and 3-9 in conference play.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
The Orange got things rolling early in the first quarter, embarking on a 7-1 run, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Gabrielle Cooper and Tiana Mangakahia with 7:41 to go in the quarter. The Demon Deacons slowly started to creep back in the game, taking a 10-9 lead on a layup by Tyra Whitehead at 2:58 in the frame. Wake Forest closed the quarter on a 12-0 run to take a 17-9 lead at the end of the first.

The home team continued to control the first half, knocking down four 3-pointers in the second quarter to extend their lead to a game-best 21 points. A pair of layups by Mangakahia at 5:19 in the frame moved the guard into double-digits and sparked the beginnings of an Orange comeback. The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, including a pair of buckets by Cooper and freshman Amaya Finklea-Guity, but Wake Forest held a 45-29 advantage heading into halftime.

Syracuse came out electric in the third quarter, as a pair of layups by redshirt senior Jasmine Nwajei pulled the Orange to within 11 at the 6:01 mark. A bucket by Digna Strautmane kicked off a 14-0 run for the Orange that ended with a pair of free throws by Nwajei to give Syracuse its first lead, 52-51, since 3:00 in the first quarter. Outscoring the Demon Deacons 25-8 in the third, Syracuse took a 54-53 lead into the final 10 minutes of the game.

It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the fourth quarter but the Orange never gave up the lead. Miranda Drummond poured in a three at 8:19 in the stanza to make it a seven-point Syracuse edge. Strautmane became the third Orange to record double-figures in the game, following a five-point fourth quarter, including a crucial jumper at 3:52 in the frame to make it 64-59 visitors. A trio of free throws and a layup by Mangakahia completed the come-from-behind win for the Orange.

OF NOTE
Mangakahia posted a team-leading 26 points in the game, marking the third consecutive game that the guard has eclipsed the 20-point mark. The Australia native has tallied a team-best 23 consecutive double-digit games this season.

Strautmane recorded her sixth consecutive game in double-digits, finishing the night with 13 points.

The Orange trailed by 21, their largest deficit of the season, in the first half.

TWEET OF THE GAME

??HERE COME THE ORANGE ??

Down 16 at the half we outscored Wake Forest 25-8 in the third to lead 54-53 heading into the final quarter. pic.twitter.com/vx4CrpQz7k
— 'Cuse Women's Hoops (@CuseWBB) February 11, 2018

Q'S THOUGHTS
"Our kids really played hard and I give them a lot of credit," said head coach Quentin Hillsman. "We didn't make a lot of adjustments at halftime but we just needed to play hard and attack. We came back and tied the game. Our kids did a great job of taking care of the ball in the second half."

UP NEXT
Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome to face No. 19 Duke on Thursday, Feb. 15. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on ACC Network Extra.

For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.