Despite being down its top scorer in Laila Phelia, the Syracuse Orange (16-3, 6-2) relied on its defense plus a season-best performance from Dominique Darius and successfully came away with a 69-58 win
over the Stanford Cardinal (15-5, 4-3) on Sunday.
Darius finished with 26 points (6/13 from the field and 12/12 from the foul line), her most points as a member of the Orange. Uche Izoje (12 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals) secured her eighth double-double of the year, while Sophie Burrows (11 points) and Shy Hawkins (10 points) also contributed on the offensive end. Syracuse earned its second Quadrant 2 win of 2025-26 and will take a three-game winning streak heading into its next ACC contest.
Turnovers proved to be the deciding factor, with the Orange forcing Stanford to cough it up 22 times. ‘Cuse outscored the Cardinal by nine in points off turnovers and five in transition. Despite a hot start, Stanford finished the game shooting under 35% from the field. Lara Somfai (17 points and 8 rebounds) and Nunu Agara (14 points) were the only Cardinal to finish in double-figures.
Stanford’s offense found its groove right out of the gate, making five of its first six shots. Agara would make the first two, with Darius and Burrows responding on each of those makes for the Orange. The duo then had successful looks from three to put ‘Cuse up by six (10-4).
Stanford would then go on an 9-0 run powered by some baskets from Somfai before a jumper by Hawkins put the Orange back within one (13-12) heading into the first media timeout.
Darius would continue to have the hot hand, making three straight and going on a personal 7-0 run that would eventually put Syracuse up six again before Chloe Clardy responded with a layup for Stanford. The Orange ended a first quarter that had two ties and five lead changes with a 21-17 lead. Both Syracuse (9/16) and Stanford (7/12) were each shooting better than 55% heading into the second.
The contest continue to remain close over the rest of the first half. Syracuse started off with two baskets, including a steal and score by Olivia Schmitt plus a tough jumper by Keira Scott at the end of the shot clock. Izoje would also get her second basket of the game to give the Orange their largest lead so far (27-19), but a couple of scores by Shay Ijiwoye brought the Cardinal back within two points with just over more minutes left until halftime.
The rest of the quarter saw the battle inside continue between two of the ACC’s best inside scorers in Izoje and Somfai, but the Orange stayed out in front and went into the locker room up 37-29. Darius led the way for Syracuse with 14, while Izoje had eight and Hawkins had six. Somfai led all scorers with 15, producing more than half of Stanford’s 29 points through two quarters. The Orange also forced the Cardinals to turn the ball over 13 times in the first half.
Journey Thompson would get the Orange going to begin the third quarter, scoring off an offensive rebound. Both teams would struggle to put the ball in the basket coming out of halftime, each going over three minutes without field goals before Izoje ended the cold stretch off a pass from Burrows. ‘Cuse was still up 42-33 halfway through the quarter.
Scores wouldn’t come any easier for the rest of the period, but a couple of tough jumpers by Hawkins and a driving layup by Darius over a Stanford defender would keep the Cardinal at bay, with the Orange heading to the fourth up 49-41.
The Orange would get the first five points of the final quarter after Burrows drilled a three from the wing and Darius scored in transition off a pass from Scott. The Orange were now up by 13 (54-41), its largest lead all game, but a couple from threes from Courtney Ogden and Clardy would keep Stanford within reach.
But another transition score, this time by Burrows, would put Syracuse ahead by 15 and ultimately for the rest of the way in what was the program’s first win ever over Stanford.
The Orange will be off for a week and will return to the court next Sunday for another crucial conference matchup, this time on the road against the North Carolina Tar Heels (14-5, 3-3).
