Ionescu helps No. 3 Oregon women top No. 18 Syracuse 75-73
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Sabrina Ionescu had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Erin Boley made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 51 seconds left, helping No. 3 Oregon hold off No. 18 Syracuse 75-73 on Saturday.
Ionescu, a preseason All-America guard coming off her 11th career triple-double, hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark an 11-0 run after the Orange had scored 10 straight points to take a 67-61 lead. Boley’s 3 from the corner put Oregon ahead to stay at 70-67.
Maite Cazorla hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds and finished with 14 points for the Ducks (2-0). Boley had 13 and Ruthy Hebard added 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Tiana Mangakahia led Syracuse (1-1) with 15 points and eight assists. Gabrielle Cooper and Amaya Finklea-Guity added 11 points each.
Cooper’s 3-pointer gave the Orange their first lead at 62-61, but Syracuse was just 5 for 28 (17.9 percent) from beyond the arc. Oregon countered with 5 of 9 in the fourth quarter from long range and 11 of 31 overall (35.5 percent).
The Orange won the rebound battle 45-36 and outscored the Ducks in each of the final three quarters after getting off to a tough start. Syracuse shot 40.3 percent (31 for 77) from the floor, compared to 35.5 percent (23 for 63) for Oregon.
BIG PICTURE
Syracuse traveled to the West Coast looking for a challenge and nearly escaped with a win despite shooting poorly in the first half. The Orange also face Texas A&M, Kansas State, DePaul and Minnesota in preparation for Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Oregon fought off the upset by finding a way to score over Syracuse’s 2-3 zone before a home crowd of 6,789. The Pac-12 champions have another heavyweight challenge in five weeks when No. 6 Mississippi State visits Eugene.
UP NEXT
Syracuse faces another ranked opponent, No. 20 Texas A&M, on Wednesday night at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York.
Oregon plays at Utah State on Wednesday night in the second of six road games on its 12-game nonconference schedule.
