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Before Syracuse’s clash with Virginia Tech Thursday, SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the game would be a “track meet” with both teams displaying high energy and pushing the pace throughout.

But after the Orange’s 77-57 loss, just their third of the season, Legette-Jack said it was a one-sided track meet, and her squad looked flat. Rather than matching VT’s energy, Syracuse folded from the get-go, trailing by seven after the first quarter and never leading after the opening minutes.

Heading into another Atlantic Coast Conference test against Virginia, SU was facing something it dealt with most of last year: adversity. In a conference with perennial tournament contenders like Notre Dame, Louisville and NC State, Syracuse can only afford so many slip-ups.

Sunday certainly wasn’t a slip-up. Instead, it proved SU can compete with the cream of the crop in the ACC.

Syracuse (14-3, 4-2 ACC) pulled away from Virginia (13-4, 5-1 ACC) 79-60, securing a signature conference win. Laila Phelia paced SU with a career-high 38 points, while Sophie Burrows found her shooting touch with seven 3s and 21 points. The Orange trailed by as much as seven but found their groove late in the third quarter en route to a victory.

Across its nonconference slate, SU trounced teams in the first quarter. Against Stony Brook on Nov. 4, it led 22-8 after one en route to a 74-50 win. Two weeks later against Wagner, the Orange outscored Seahawks 22-4 in the first frame and never looked back in a 78-29 thrashing.

That hasn’t been the case over the last two games. Against VT, Syracuse trailed 22-15 after one. On Sunday, it was more of the same.

Not only did the Orange shoot just 4-of-13 in the quarter, but they committed careless turnover after careless turnover and struggled to contain a fast-paced UVA offense.

While Phelia gave SU a quick start with five points to mount a 5-0 lead, it couldn’t find its rhythm after that – evident by a five-minute drought without scoring. The Cavaliers took advantage of Syracuse’s poor passing, turning it into transition points and a 17-12 lead.

Syracuse and Virginia traded baskets in the second quarter. Whenever UVA tried to mount its lead, SU responded instantly.

Phelia was the sole reason why.

The Texas transfer scored 13 of SU’s 16 second-quarter points, swishing everything from one-leg fadeaways to floaters. When the Cavaliers took a 29-23 lead and were on the verge of pulling away, Phelia drew contact from 3 and nailed three free-throws to keep the game in reach.

After a Paris Clark turnover and Phelia steal, she quickly raced back in transition and nailed a jumper. She made difficult shots look simple and commanded an otherwise sluggish offense.

So, why was Syracuse down six at halftime? Essentially everything else.

Outside of Phelia, the Orange shot a measly 3-of-15 from the field in the first half. Dominique Darius was 0-for-5. Velez was 0-for-3. Shy Hawkins was 0-for-2. SU had no reliable second option, outside of two Burrows 3s.

Syracuse was also outrebounded 23-11 in the first half. Other than Phelia’s three rebounds, no SU player had more than two.

If last year’s team was down six on the road against an undefeated conference opponent, it likely would’ve collapsed and lost by 20. This year’s iteration of the Orange won by 19.

SU looked in sync to start the third quarter, as a Phelia 3 cut UVA’s lead to just one. Soon after, two Uche Izoje free throws gave Syracuse its first lead since the game’s opening minutes.

Yet, shades of the first half and last year’s squad reappeared toward the middle of the frame. The Cavaliers scored eight straight points, building a 44-37 lead behind a Kymora Johnson steal and fast break layup.

Late in the third, Phelia just wouldn’t go away. Down 46-42, she sank two free throws before grinding inside for a physical layup and an and-1 to give SU the lead back.

While the storyline of the third quarter was SU’s offensive resurgence, its defense also stymied Virginia’s balanced offense. The Orange forced multiple turnovers in the frame, playing with the sense of urgency that propelled them to an 11-1 start to the season.

As a result, SU led 51-49 entering the fourth.

There’s no denying Sunday was the Phelia show. But at the same time, Burrows’ ultra-efficient shooting day put Syracuse in a great spot early in the fourth quarter.

She drained three 3s early in the frame, extending SU’s lead to as much as 10. Her seven total 3s were her most since knocking down eight against VT on Feb. 6, 2025.

SU’s defensive intensity was the icing on the cake for a momentum-boosting win. It may not have been pretty in the first half, but Burrows and Phelia’s heroics did enough to give Syracuse a 19-point victory.

Published on January 11, 2026 at 4:06 pm
Contact Spencer: sabrod@syr.edu | @spencerbrod20