Syracuse women’s basketball at Georgia Tech: TV/streaming, time, history & more

Teams: Syracuse Orange (9-3, 6-3 ACC) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-3, 7-2 ACC)

Day & Time: Tuesday, February 2 at 7 p.m. EST

Location: Atlanta, Ga., McCamish Pavilion

TV/Streaming: ACCNX

Radio: Cuse.com

Opponent Blog: From the Rumble Seat

Rivalry: Syracuse leads 5-3

Current Streak: Georgia Tech has won the last two match-ups

Teams Last Meeting: The Orange fell to the Yellow Jackets, 82-64, in the Carrier Dome in January 2020. Lewis led the team with 21 points.

Orange Storylines:

• For the third week in a row, a Syracuse freshman was named Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Week. Kamilla Cardoso earned her second straight honor after averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 blocks in two Syracuse wins last week. Priscilla Williams earned conference Freshman of the Week on Jan. 18.
• Tiana Mangakahia was named one of the Top 10 candidates for the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Fan voting will go live Friday, February 5 at 1 p.m. EST on HoophallAwards.com.
• The Orange received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll (20) and the USA TODAY/WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll (45) this week.
• ‘Cuse stands in fourth place in the conference standings.
• Freshman Kamilla Cardoso leads the team with 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Kiara Lewis stands just behind Cardoso in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per contest. Emily Engstler is making a name for herself as ACC Sixth Player of the Year, averaging a double-double this season with 10.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest off the bench. Freshman Priscilla Williams (10.7 pts) and Tiana Mangakahia (10.4) are also contributing double-figure scoring for ‘Cuse this season.
• The Orange rank in the top-5 of the ACC in blocked shots per game (1st), blocked shots (1st), assists per game (1st), 3-pt field goals per game (2nd), steals per game (2nd), rebounds per game (3rd), offensive rebounds per game (3rd), scoring offense (3rd), field goal % defense (3rd), won-lost percentage (3rd), 3-pt field goals made (3rd), turnovers forced (3rd), 3-pt field goals attempted (4th), 3-pt field goal defense (4th), scoring margin (5th), rebounds (5th), steals (5th), and turnover margin (5th). The team ranks top-15 nationally in blocked shots per game (3rd), total blocks (9th), and rebounds per game (14th).
• In the conference, Mangakahia ranks first in assists per game and total assists, Cardoso ranks first in blocked shots per game, total blocks, and field goal percentage, Lewis ranks third in steals per game and fourth in minutes per game, Engstler ranks fourth in defensive rebounds per game and rebounds per game. Nationally, Mangakahia ranks second in assists per game and seventh in total assists, and Cardoso ranks fifth in blocked shots per game, sixth in field goal percentage, and 10th in blocked shots.
• Of Note: There have been five double-digit assist games in ACC WBB play this season, and Mangakahia is responsible for all five of them.
• Erica Morrow, a 2011 ‘Cuse graduate, has rejoined head coach Quentin Hillsman in Central New York as an assistant coach.
• On December 2nd, 2020, the Syracuse Athletics staff were able to adjust and achieve a live basketball game despite a location change in under 60 minutes. This is their story.
• The NCAA announced the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will be held in one geographic area and is in preliminary talks with the city of San Antonio, Texas. The NCAA also announced the tournament will have a 64-team bracket, the .500 rule will be waived, and an eligibility waiver will be available for teams that do not reach a minimum of 13 games.

Syracuse’s Last Game: The Orange defeated Notre Dame on Sunday, 81-69, to remain perfect at home with a 6-0 mark in the Carrier Dome. ‘Cuse outscored the Irish 23-4 in the fourth quarter. Tiana Mangakahia tallied a near triple-double with 19 points, 11 assists, and nine boards.

Kamilla Cardoso was also close to recording a triple-double with 18 points, a career-high nine blocks, and seven rebounds. Kiara Lewis (16 pts) and Priscilla Williams (11) also tallied double-figure scoring for the Orange. Lewis surpassed the 1,000 career points mark and Cardoso surpassed the 100 career rebounds mark in the win.

Head Coaches: Syracuse - Quentin Hillsman (15th year, 313-163) | Georgia Tech - Nell Fortner (2nd year, 29-14)

Opponent Coach Bio: Nell Fortner is in her second year at the helm of Georgia Tech. She is one of the most successful coaches in women’s basketball history with a 325-198 career record (collegiate, professional and international). Previously, Fortner led Purdue to a Big10 Championship and Auburn to an SEC Championship. She was also a part of three international titles with Team USA Basketball, including the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Outside of coaching, Fortner serves as an analyst for ESPN. Fortner played basketball and volleyball at Texas and is a member of the school’s Wall of Honor and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Opponent Last Year: Last season, Georgia Tech went 20-11 with a 10-8 ACC record. The Yellow Jackets fell in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament to North Carolina State, 57-48.

Opponent’s Last Game: Georgia Tech defeated Miami on the road, 70-56. Four Yellow Jackets finished in double-figures, including Lorela Cubaj with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Opponent Players to Watch: Lotta-Maj Lahtinen is leading the Yellow Jackets this season with 16.1 points per game. Cubaj is also a player to watch, as she is averaging 12.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest.

If Syracuse Wins: Georgia Tech sits in third place of the ACC Standings, right above ‘Cuse. A win would tie the teams for the third spot. Georgia Tech is also receiving votes in the national polls, so a win may propel the Orange back into the rankings.

If Syracuse Loses: With less than a month away from March, any loss hurts, especially against a team right next to Syracuse in the standings.