Syracuse Heads to #13 Virginia Tech Thursday Night
The Orange (14-8, 5-6 ACC) head to Blacksburg, Va., to face No. 13 Virginia Tech (17-4, 7-4 ACC), at 7 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum Thursday night. Fans can watch the game live on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) through the ESPN app with Bailey Angel and Mack McCarthy on the call.
Syracuse looks to bounce back after Sunday’s 79-67 loss to Louisville at the JMA Wireless Dome. Dyaisha Fair, reigning Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Week, had 19 points in the loss while Georgia Woolley led the Orange with 20 points off the bench. It marked the second-straight game Woolley tallied 15-plus points. Far earned ACC honors after averaging 27.5 points per game in a 1-1 week for the Orange, scoring a season-high 36 points and turning over the ball zero times with a program record-tying eight threes against Virginia.
Fair leads the Orange with 19.8 points per game this season and was named a top-10 finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award on Monday.
Syracuse is in search of its first win against a top-25 team this season. The Orange are 0-3 against nationally ranked opponents including close battles with No. 8 NC State and No. 7 Notre Dame.
The Hokies are coming off a 12-point road win over in-state rival Virginia on Sunday, 72-60. Kayana Traylor led the team with 25 points while 2022 ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley scored in double figures with 16 points. Virginia Tech is 10-1 this season with its lone home loss being to No. 5 Notre Dame, 62-53, on Dec. 18.
Syracuse and Virginia Tech are tied 8-8 in 16 games since first meeting on Nov. 27, 1988, Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack‘s final season donning a SU uniform. Last time the two met, the Hokies handed the Orange a 102-52 loss at the Dome on Feb. 17, 2022. Teisha Hyman led the Orange with 18 points in the loss while Kitley had a game-high 24 points.
The Orange last won in Blacksburg on Jan. 6, 2019 in a thrilling 75-73 overtime thriller.
Following Thursday’s game the Orange return home to the JMA Wireless Dome to host Boston College for Equality & Inclusion Day on Sunday, Feb. 5. Syracuse earned an 83-73 win over the Eagles earlier this season on Jan. 12 in Chestnut Hill, Ma.
