Syracuse University
24-8,12-6ACC
Iowa State
22-10,10-8Big 12
Orange Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament
3/21/2026 7:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
STORRS, Conn.- The Orange women's basketball team (24-8, 12-6) defeated No. 8 seed Iowa State (22-10, 10-8) 72-63 to advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in the Fort Worth 1 Region. Uche Izoje's 23-point performance, along with Olivia Schmitt's five three-pointers, helped push the No. 9 seed Orange past the Cyclones to continue into the postseason.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Izoje opened play, making a field goal in the paint. Laila Phelia followed on the next drive, hitting a shot from beyond the arc to give Orange the lead. Iowa State exchanged shots with the Orange for a steady first-quarter performance. Maddy Potts' fastbreak layup gave 'Cuse the advantage, but the Cyclones' 6-0 run in the last two minutes of play left Syracuse trailing 14-11 after the first quarter.
Schmitt evened the score with a three-pointer in the first Orange drive of the quarter. SU went on a 13-0 run after field goals by Izoje and Phelia in the paint and three more buckets from beyond the arc by Schmitt. Iowa State snuck in a layup in the paint, but Schmitt answered back, hitting her fifth three-pointer of the quarter. The Orange's 30-point quarter, the most in an NCAA tournament game by 'Cuse since 2017, gave the team a 41-26 advantage after the first half.
Izoje and Phelia added two-point field goals to the board in the third quarter. Aurora Almon stole the ball, finding Phelia down the court to finish with a fastbreak layup. The Cyclones outscored the Orange, chipping away at Syracuse's lead. Iowa State committed a flagrant foul in the last minute of the quarter, sending Sophie Burrows to the line to add an extra two points to the board, helping Syracuse keep a 52-42 lead.
Izoje started off the final quarter, adding a layup to the board to tally her 10th game of the season scoring over 20 points. Iowa State picked up the pace, scoring field goals and cutting the Orange's lead down to single digits. Burrows stepped up, putting up a field goal before adding a three-point bucket to the score. Journey Thompson would go on to find Burrows wide open in the corner to add another three-pointer to bring Syracuse's lead back to double digits. The Cyclones started on a 6-0 run with just under two minutes and 20 seconds left in the game. Iowa State gained possession of the ball in the remaining minute of the game, but missed the chance to score, as Phelia pulled away from the pack with a rebound and drew a foul. Now in the bonus, Burrows drew two fouls in back-to-back drives, adding four points from the line to increase the lead to nine points. A steal off the Cyclones' bad pass in the final seconds of the game put the ball in Phelia's hands, ultimately sealing the Orange's 72-63 win to advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
OF NOTE
- Olivia Schmitt went 5-6 from beyond the arc, a new career high of three-point field goals made in a game.
- Schmitt had a career high in scoring, collecting 15 points.
- Laila Phelia tallied her 24th double-digit game of the season.
- Uche Izoje recorded her 10th 20+ point game of the year after her 23-point performance.
- Journey Thompson tied her career high in rebounds after collecting 13 against the Cyclones.
- Maddy Potts made her first start of the season in today's game against Iowa State.
- The Orange's 30-point second quarter is the most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game for SU since scoring 33 points in a quarter against Iowa State in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
- Iowa State's 12-point second quarter is the fewest SU has allowed an opposing team in a quarter of an NCAA Tournament game since facing South Dakota State in the first round in 2021.
- Four players scored in double figures: Izoje (23), Phelia (18), Schmitt (15), Burrows (14).
UP NEXT
Syracuse will face No. 1 seed Connecticut on Monday, March 23 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in the Fort Worth 1 Region.
For more on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow @CuseWBB on social media.
