Syracuse women’s basketball upsets No. 11 Florida State, 76-69

The Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team earned a huge upset victory over a ranked conference opponent at the Carrier Dome on Sunday afternoon. The unranked Orange beat the No. 11/12 Florida State Seminoles, 76-69 and earned its second conference win of the 2017-2018 season. The Orange improved its record versus ranked opponents to 1-2 on the season.

It cannot be easy to follow up a teammate who posted 44 points and broke program records in the game prior, but Miranda Drummond managed to come close to Tiana Mangakahia’s excellent performance from Thursday. Drummond’s career-high 38 points was the core enforcer for Syracuse (14-3, 2-2) and its scoring ledger on Sunday.

In a game that featured four ties and 13 lead changes, the Orange were more efficient in its scoring (42.4%) and in its three-point shooting (36.1%) than the ‘Noles were. For Syracuse, Drummond made 14-of-20 from the field and added 8-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Syracuse started off very strong versus the Seminoles. The Orange held a 21-8 lead at the 2:40 mark in the first quarter. Florida State began to claw back in the second quarter as they held the Orange to just 11 points in the quarter. The result of the second quarter was a 34-33 Syracuse lead at the halfway mark.

Syracuse was out-rebounded by Florida State for the game, 49-37, but the Orange got ‘em when they counted in the third. Syracuse kept pace with the Seminoles through the quarter’s first four minutes by out-rebounding them, 6-3. Drummond then made a three-pointer with 4:43 to play to tie the game at 43. Florida State and Syracuse traded buckets often in the third and the ‘Noles held a 51-50 lead after three.

Drummond’s 14 points in the fourth quarter was almost enough to outscore Florida State (18) for that period. The Orange outscored the Seminoles, 26-18, in the fourth to secure the seven-point win.

Drummond was the only double-digit scorer for Syracuse on Sunday. Amaya Finklea-Guity contributed nine points and gathered five rebounds. Tiana Mangakahia posted an all-around solid line of five points, six rebounds, 13 assists, and four steals for the Orange.

Three Seminoles scored in double figures. Imani Wright led the team with 20 points on 7-of-21 shooting.

BOX SCORE

What’s Next?

Syracuse does not play at home again until Sunday January 21 versus Pittsburgh. In the meantime, the Orange will hit the road for two games over the next two weeks. The Orange have a week off before they face NC State in Raleigh. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on January 14.

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Corey Crisan is the Orange Women’s Basketball reporter for TNIAAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @cdcrisan for coverage all season long.