#7 Orange Face #10 Cal on Ally ACC Tournament Second Round Thursday

Syracuse women's basketball returns to the postseason stage Thursday when the 7-seed Orange face 10-seed California in the second round of the 2026 Ally ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET on the ACC Network, with Courtney Lyle and Brooke Weisbrod on the call.

The Orange enter riding momentum after closing the regular season with a dominant 90-65 victory over Boston College on March 1, capping a 15-3 home record and a 22-7 overall mark. Syracuse finished 12-6 in ACC play — doubling its conference win total from a season ago after being picked 13th in the preseason poll. California advanced to Thursday's matchup with a 75-52 first-round win over 15th-seeded Wake Forest on Wednesday, setting up a rematch with the Orange who defeated the Bears in triple overtime in the regular season.

California holds the all-time series advantage at 2-1, but Syracuse evened the score in stunning fashion the last time these programs met. On Jan. 15 at the JMA Wireless Dome, the Orange outlasted the Bears 90-87 in triple overtime — the first triple-overtime win for Syracuse since 1998. Cal finished regulation on a 12-0 run to force extra sessions, and the two teams exchanged blows until Dominique Darius buried a go-ahead three-pointer with three seconds remaining in the third overtime to seal the victory. The Bears will be looking for redemption; the Orange will be looking to prove it was no fluke.

Freshman center Uche Izoje leads the way for Syracuse. The ACC Rookie of the Year and unanimous First Team All-ACC selection averages 15.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, making her the only freshman in the country posting that statistical combination. She owns a team-best 13 double-doubles and leads the ACC in blocks. Darius, the team's floor general, contributes 13.0 points and a team-leading 102 assists on the season, while All-ACC Second Team honoree Laila Phelia adds 13.8 points and a team-best 56 steals. Junior captain Sophie Burrows, the 2026 Kay Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year, has connected on a three-pointer in 15 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the ACC.

Coach Felisha Legette-Jack and the Orange are seeking their first ACC Tournament win under her tenure. A victory Thursday would move Syracuse to 23-7 and set up a Friday quarterfinal matchup against 2-seed Louisville at 5 p.m. on ACC Network.

For more on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow @CuseWBB on social media.