Digna Strautmane entered Sunday’s game with a career high of two made 3s in a game. Her new career high after Syracuse’s win over Boston College: five.

“Got her going early, she got some good looks and she knocked them down,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said.

Syracuse (17-5, 5-4 Atlantic Coast) picked up its first ACC road win, 75-57, over Boston College (6-15, 1-7), behind a career-high 25 points from Strautmane. All four of the Orange’s conference losses have come on the road. But four first-half 3s from Strautmane made sure that wouldn’t become a winless 5-for-5.

“We needed that,” Hillsman said. “We were starving for one.”

SU has struggled on the glass at times this season, but the Orange crushed BC on the glass on Sunday at Conte Forum. Syracuse tallied 16 offensive rebounds to the Eagles’ five, and won the overall rebounding battle 38-25.

Syracuse hit its “target number” of 3s in the game, 10, Hillsman said. SU is 11-1 in games it makes at least 10 3s.

Boston College never led in the game. Syracuse led by as much as 25. SU pulled away behind a big second quarter from beyond the arc. Strautmane canned three 3s in the frame and Gabrielle Cooper added two of her own. The Orange won the second quarter, 21-10, and led by 14 points at the half.

Strautmane was joined in double figures by Tiana Mangakahia and Amaya Finklea-Guity. Mangakahia scored 19 points to go with seven rebounds and nine assists.

Finklea-Guity, a freshman playing near her hometown of Dorchester, Massachusetts, scored 11 points and added six rebounds.

“She had a really good crowd, high school team was there, all of her family was here,” Hillsman said. “It was good for her to come out and have a good showing coming back home.”

Syracuse entered the game at Boston College undefeated at home in conference and winless on the road. Behind a career day from Strautmane, the latter half of that is no longer true. SU has a road conference win. Strautmane has new career highs in points and made 3s.

Now officially in the second half of its conference schedule, Syracuse is off the schneid on the road.

“It’s just about growing up, we have a very young team, playing on the road is tough,” Hillsman said. “The more experience we can get playing on the road, the better off we’re gonna be.”

Published on January 28, 2018 at 4:09 pm

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