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Since 2010, Syracuse women’s basketball has been far from consistent. The Orange dominated early in the decade, culminating in a 2016 National Championship appearance. But they’ve failed to reach those heights again in an up-and-down first few years of the 2020s.

One of the Orange’s few constants, though, has been dominating Pittsburgh. They’ve beaten the Panthers 27 consecutive times dating back to 2010.

This season, with one of its best teams in recent memory, Syracuse looks to keep that streak going Thursday.

Here’s everything to know about Pitt (8-17, 1-11 Atlantic Coast) before it hosts Syracuse (19-5, 9-4 ACC) Thursday:

All-time series

Syracuse leads 54-16.

Last time they played

The Orange beat Pitt 83-65 at the JMA Wireless Dome on Feb. 27, 2025, in their penultimate game of the regular season. SU led almost the entire contest but did most of its work in the fourth quarter. It led by six entering the final frame but exploded for 29 points to close the 18-point victory.

Syracuse was led by its two Australians in the backcourt, as Georgia Woolley and Sophie Burrows combined for 46 points and five 3-pointers. Woolley shot 8-of-16 from the field while Burrows shot 8-of-13. Kyra Wood added 14 points in the frontcourt.

Pitt’s Khadija Faye ignited for 25 points, and the Panthers had four scorers in double figures. Still, Pitt shot just 39.7% from the field to SU’s lights-out 54% shooting day. It ultimately was Syracuse’s second-to-last win of the season, as the Orange beat Boston College three days later before they were bounced in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

The Panthers Report

Pitt really hasn’t been a contender in the ACC in over a decade. The Panthers’ last winning season was the 2014-15 campaign, when they made the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Since then, they’ve cycled through three head coaches and 10 losing seasons.

This year hasn’t been much different. Under current head coach Tory Verdi, Pitt’s making headlines for all the wrong reasons. On the court, the Panthers started the year 7-7 but are 1-11 in conference play. They’ve lost their ACC contests by an average of 24.8 points, and their only conference win was a three-point victory over winless Boston College — which Syracuse beat by 34.

Pitt boasts just two players averaging north of 10 points per game, ranking bottom-60 in the nation in field goals and points allowed, per SportsReference. It scores just 61.2 points a game while giving up 70.6.

How Syracuse beats Pitt

Given the disparity in the teams’ seasons, the Orange would need something to go horribly wrong Thursday to snap their 27-game winning streak over Pitt.

Fresh off a loss at the hands of No. 6 Louisville, Syracuse will be looking to swing early — something it failed to do against the Cardinals, trailing 28-6 after one quarter. That hot start is crucial to avoiding an upset.

But even if the Orange start sluggish, there should be plenty of areas they can exploit to catch up. First and foremost, Pitt likely won’t have an answer for Uche Izoje — or the litany of talented rebounders SU possesses.

The Panthers have 6-foot-5 center Fatima Diakhate to man the paint and average a respectable 8.9 total rebounds a game, but one of Syracuse’s greatest strengths is making solid frontcourts look pedestrian. The Orange possess the nation’s sixth-best offensive rebounding mark and average the 15th-most total rebounds.

On the other end, the Panthers will have their hands full with SU’s offensive options. Barring a few, Izoje is a mismatch for just about every center in the conference. Pitt must lock her up to have any chance at an upset. But it already doesn’t defend the arc well, so giving Izoje any additional attention will likely free up great looks from deep.

Offensively, Pitt has Mikayla Johnson and Theresa Hagans leading the way. While both are good guards, the Panthers just don’t have a star scorer they can rely on to take over. They might need one to win Thursday.

Stat to know: 8.6

Syracuse has been far more effective in the paint than beyond the arc this season, but if there’s any opponent where that might change, it’s Pitt. The Panthers allow 8.6 3-point makes per game, the fourth-worst mark in Division I. That comes on 26.2 average attempts from deep, also the fourth-worst in D-I.

The Orange are shooting just 31.8% from deep as a team, but their volume of 3-pointers has steadily increased throughout the season. SU is making 6.6 of its 18.4 3s a game over its past five ACC contests.

Syracuse certainly doesn’t rely on the 3-pointer (and it probably won’t need to against Pitt). But if the Panthers are going to give up open looks, SU’s shooters will take them.

Burrows, in particular, hasn’t been afraid to let it fly as of late, averaging 7.6 attempts over her past three games. If she can heat up from deep, she could lead the Orange in scoring for just the third time this season.

Whether the Orange come out firing or not, perimeter looks will likely be there against a team that fails to defend the arc well. A good night from 3-point land would make a win that much easier.

Player to watch: Mikayla Johnson, guard, No. 23

Johnson has been Pitt’s most polished scorer in a season full of inconsistencies. The 6-foot-1 guard transferred from Colorado before last season and has instantly become a key contributor.

Johnson’s started all but one of the Panthers’ games this season, averaging 13 points per contest on 34.7% shooting. She hasn’t necessarily had flashy, showstopping performances, with her season-high just 23 points. But Johnson’s provided near-guaranteed double-figures every night.

She’s been her best as of late, too. The Anchorage, Alaska, native is averaging 17 points over her past four contests. Her main weakness has been beyond the arc, shooting just 24.1% so far, although she’s shooting 40.3% inside. Pitt will hope she can churn out a solid night to get its offense going Thursday.

Published on February 12, 2026 at 12:57 am
Contact Harris: harrispemberton@gmail.com | @HarrisPemb6