Virginia Edged by No. 18 Syracuse, 72-68

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Virginia women’s basketball team (8-13, 2-6 ACC) dropped a 72-68 game at No. 18 Syracuse (17-4, 6-2 ACC) on Thursday (January 31) at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
 
Junior guard Jocelyn Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.) had a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Brianna Tinsley (Madison, Va.) scored 19 points. Both totals matched their career highs. Tiana Mangakahia had a double-double with 16 points and 14 assists. Virginia shot 37.9 percent (22-of-58) while the Orange shot 42.2 percent (27-of-64). Syracuse held a 39-37 advantage in rebounding.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game had six ties and four lead changes in the first 15 minutes, but Syracuse closed out the first half on a 10-2 run to take a 35-30 lead into the break. The Cavaliers pulled to within two, 40-38, on a layup from senior forward Mone Jones (Durham, N.C.) with 7:11 remaining in the third quarter, but the Orange built back up an eight-point lead, 52-44, four minutes later. The Cavaliers again chipped away at the deficit, pulling to within one on a pair of Willoughby free throws, but Mangakahia hit a three to put the Orange up 55-51 heading into the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers tied the game, 68-68, on a second-chance bucket by Willoughby with 1:28 remaining. Syracuse retook the lead, 70-68, after drawing a foul on a putback attempt and making the subsequent free throws. After the Cavaliers missed a three on their next possession, the Orange made two free throws on the opposite end to take a 72-68 lead. The Cavaliers took two three-point attempts in the final eight seconds, but missed both.

NOTES

• Jocelyn Willoughby started the game 4-of-4 shooting. She scored 10 of her points in the first quarter and had 14 by halftime
• This was Willoughby’ third 20-point game of the season
• This was Willoughby’s fourth double-double of the season and the eighth of her career
• Her 25 points matches her career high. It is the second time this season and the third time in her career reaching that total
• Willoughby was 11-of-13 from the free throw line
• Brianna Tinsley was 4-of-8 from three-point range. The rest of the team combined to shoot 1-of-12 from long range
• This was the third time this season Tinsley scored 19 points in a game
• Junior forward Lisa Jablonowski (Ernster, Luxembourg) also finished the game in double figures, scoring 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting
• Junior guard Dominique Toussaint (Staten Island, N.Y.) only played seven minutes in the first half after picking up her third foul with 7:35 remaining in the second quarter. She fouled out of the game with 24 seconds remaining, the first time this season a Cavalier player fouled out
• The Cavaliers scored nine points in the first 3:10 of the second quarter but only had one bucket in the remaining 6:50
• Virginia was 19-of-23 from the free throw line (82.6 percent). Syracuse was 9-of-11 from the stripe (81.8 percent)

 
UP NEXT

• The Cavaliers close out their road trip by playing at No. 23 Miami on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m.
• Virginia returns home on Thursday, Feb. 7 to host Boston College at 7 p.m.
• New this year for all regular-season home games, available reserved single-game tickets can be purchased for $8 in advance, online and via mobile devices, or for $10 at the John Paul Jones ticket office on game day. General admission single-game tickets are $5 in advance, online and via mobile devices or $8 at the John Paul Jones ticket office on game day. Courtside seats are $15