Fair drives Syracuse past Virginia

SYRACUSE, NY — Syracuse returned home to the JMA Wireless Dome on Thursday night, earning an ACC victory over Virginia, 90-72. Senior Guards Dyaisha Fair and Alaina Rice led the Orange to victory. Fair led all players with 36 points, her first 30-point game in a Syracuse jersey, while Rice hit a new career-high at Syracuse with 18 points.

Georgia Woolley had 17 points, four rebounds and two assists for the win while Asia Strong had eight points and had three rebounds that night.

WHEN IT WAS DECISED:
Leading 43-42 two minutes into the second half, Orange used a 6-0 goal run sparked by a fair three to take a seven-point lead. The Cavaliers responded with a run of their own to leave three behind, but SU held off UVA and never gave up the lead.

Syracuse didn’t slow down, scoring their best frame of the game in the final 10 minutes to defeat the Cavaliers 25-14. Fair scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and set her program record with eight threes in the final stretch.

THREE PARTY:
The Orange fired from beyond the three-point line against the Cavaliers and scored their first bucket of the game with a three-pointer from Alaina Rice. It’s the second game in a row that Syracuse started the game with a three-pointer. Reis shot 50 percent from downtown while Fair led the way at 8-for-11 from deep. Syracuse finished the season with a season-high 12 threes and shot 42.9% from beyond the arc.

NOTABLE NUMBERS:

• Fair recorded her 21st straight game in double digits and her first 30-point game in Syracuse.
• Rice had her second straight game over 15 points and set a new career high with 18 points in Syracuse.
• Syracuse had three players with double-digit points: Fair (36), Rice (18), and Woolley (17)

NEXT:
‘Cuse next performs on Sunday, January 29 at 12pm at the JMA Wireless Dome when Orange hosts Louisville. It is the second meeting between the two this season. Louisville won on December 29, 2022 at KFC Yum! Center. Fans are encouraged to wear orange for an Orange Out as Syracuse celebrates National Girls and Women in Sport Day.