Syracuse women’s basketball cruises past Daemen in exhibition
SU women’s basketball cruises past Daemen in exhibition
Uche Izoje scored a game-high 19 points and Laila Phelia made a strong return with 17 points after nearly a year away.
Syracuse women’s basketball ended its preseason in dominant fashion, rolling to a 98–62 exhibition win over Daemen on Oct. 28 at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The Orange were led by freshman center Uche Izoje, who had a game-high 19 points, and Texas graduate transfer Laila Phelia, who scored 17 points in her first game back after nearly a year away from the court.
Phelia admitted she felt “very nervous” before tipoff, understandable for someone returning from an eye injury that sidelined her after just eight games last season.
She quickly settled in.
After junior guard Sophie Burrows opened the scoring at the free-throw line, transfer point guard Dominique Darius came off a Journey Thompson screen on Syracuse’s next possession and found Phelia, who drained a high-arcing three just 43 seconds into the game.
“After I saw a shot go in, I was like, ‘O.K., I got it,’” Phelia said, crediting her teammates. “They did a great job helping me feel more comfortable out there, staying in my ear and stuff.”
Phelia played the game wearing protective goggles after undergoing surgery to repair a detached retina.
“I haven’t played with goggles before,” she said. “The biggest adjustment is probably the light — it can glare since there’s no prescription in them. And sometimes they’ll fog up, so that’s been something to get used to.”
Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said newcomers like Phelia and Darius have already brought poise and leadership to the squad.
“Seeing these players make an impact is exciting,” she said.
Syracuse jumped ahead early, making nine of its first 11 shots to surge to a 24–12 lead. The team shot 46.8% from the field and went 6-for-23 (26%) from three.
Izoje, a 6-foot-3 forward born in Nigeria and raised in Japan from age 14, showcased her soft touch around the rim, great hands and ability to stretch the floor, creating space for teammates and giving the Orange a versatile scoring option inside.
The Orange dominated the paint, outscoring Daemen 54–24 and controlling the boards 60–37.
Burrows, the team’s lone returning starter, highlighted Syracuse’s improved ball movement.
“We had a lot of assists … making that extra pass and not forcing shots,” she said.
The team finished with 26 assists on 37 made baskets.
“It’s been pretty natural for all of us,” Burrows said, noting how returning players, transfers and freshmen have meshed seamlessly, helping the Orange transition into a faster-paced system.
The Orange open their regular season Tuesday, Nov. 4 against Stony Brook at the JMA Wireless Dome. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.