Syracuse sets a scoring mark under Felisha Legette-Jack in season-opening win vs. Niagara

Syracuse, N.Y. — Although there were some hiccups along the way, game one of the 2024-25 season for the Syracuse women’s basketball team ended just like it wanted.
In the 16th matchup all-time between SU and the Niagara Purple Eagles, it was the home team taking care of business, 108-84 on Tuesday night at the JMA Wireless Dome.
It was the highest scoring output for the Orange under third-year coach Felisha Legette-Jack and the most points the Orange scored since a 116-65 win against Central Connecticut State on Dec. 5, 2021.
Two straight possessions of players diving on the floor set the tone for the type of physical game that would be played.
Syracuse, though, took advantage of its size and length throughout the game, and that proved to be the deciding factor.
Dominique Camp played her first regular-season game for the Orange after tearing her ACL last season and made an immediate impact, assisting on the first score of the game by Izabel Varejão, who also missed time throughout last season with an injury.
Varejão’s fingerprints were also all over the beginning of the game. On an inbound, she threw a full-court pass to sophomore Sophie Burrows for a finish.
The next play, Varejão got a steal at the top of the key. Camp soon got the ball from her and found Kyra Wood for the finish down low, forcing a quick Niagara timeout nearly two minutes in.
Wood led the charge with 19 points, but it was a collective effort.
Six different players scored in double-figures for the Orange.
Wood and Varejão, with length and size on the interior, helped the Orange force 27 turnovers.
The veteran post players also made their impact felt by crashing the offensive boards and going back up to score.
Freshman Keira Scott finished with 14 points, including 10 in the first half. The forward scored eight of those points in succession, two of which came by way of a smooth fade-away jumper.
When the first quarter was done, the Orange was up 24-17. That lead began to grow with a 7-0 run to start the second, capped off by a Georgia Woolley 3. The senior ended the contest with 18 points.
Syracuse manufactured a lot of its offense after forcing a turnover on the other end. They finished the game with 16 steals.
Niagara forced 30 Syracuse turnovers. That number shouldn‘t come as a surprise, though. In NU’s lone pre-season match-up against Roberts Wesleyan, the Purple Eagles forced a staggering 65 turnovers.
Many of the Orange turnovers came as it was looking to push the ball in transition, but at times turned the ball over with an ill-advised pass.
Purple Eagles forward Safiatu Kolliegbo led the way for her team with 16 points.
At half, Syracuse held a 47-32 lead, and from that point on it was more of the same.
With the win, the Orange extend its home non-conference winning streak to 28 games. That record dates back to November 2019, when it lost to an Oregon Ducks squad led by current WNBA stars Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu.
Syracuse will host the Saint Joseph’s Hawks on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.