Syracuse women’s basketball was defeated 84-65 by No. 6 Louisville on Sunday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome after the Cardinals built an early lead and held off several Orange runs.
Dominique Darius led Syracuse with 22 points, recording her fifth 20-point performance of the season and shooting a perfect 6-for-6 in the first half. Sophie Burrows added a strong all-around effort, recording a career-high six steals while also finishing in double figures scoring. Syracuse moved to 19-5 overall and 9-4 in conference play.
Louisville surged ahead early, opening the game with a sizable first-quarter advantage before Syracuse responded with a late push in the second quarter. The Orange used a 16-2 run late in the half, highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from Darius, Burrows and Jasmyn Cooper, to cut the deficit to 44-36 at halftime.
Syracuse continued to generate defensive pressure in the second half, forcing turnovers and creating transition opportunities, but Louisville answered with timely scoring runs to maintain control. The Cardinals extended their lead in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Despite the early deficit, the Orange showed resilience by battling back into contention behind Darius’ scoring and Burrows’ defensive effort, but Louisville’s early momentum proved decisive.
Syracuse returns to action Thursday, February 12, traveling to Pittsburgh for a 6 p.m. matchup.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
