Syracuse Women Rout Sacred Heart in Opener
Syracuse opened its season with a 75-48 win over Sacred Heart in front of a record home-opener crowd at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Basketball
Syracuse women's basketball defeated Sacred Heart 75-48 on Tuesday night inside the JMA Wireless Dome, leading wire-to-wire in the season opener. The game drew a record home-opener crowd of 2,695.
Why it matters
The defensive pressure that produced 29 Sacred Heart turnovers signals how Syracuse plans to compete this season. A record opening-night crowd also points to growing local interest in the program.
Syracuse forced 29 turnovers and recorded 23 steals, the most in any game last season, while Celaine Ricco alone had seven steals in 15 minutes. Syracuse scored 20 points off 18 Sacred Heart first-half turnovers, and Uche Izoje finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The players
Uche Izoje
Syracuse center who led the team with 16 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener.
Celaine Ricco
Syracuse guard who recorded seven steals in 15 minutes of play against Sacred Heart.
The details
Syracuse fed center Uche Izoje early and rode a 12-0 first-quarter run fueled by steals and transition scoring. Emely Rodriguez added 13 points, Sarah Rambus scored 12, and Jaleesa Molina grabbed six rebounds in the win.
Timeline
Tuesday: Syracuse defeats Sacred Heart 75-48 in the season opener.
Sunday: Syracuse hosts Cornell at the JMA Wireless Dome, with a chance to start 2-0.
Season Trajectory
The 23-steal opener exceeded any single-game steal total from last season, signaling that Syracuse's defensive identity carries over into the new campaign. How that pressure translates against stronger Atlantic Coast opponents will shape the team's early standing.
Syracuse's defensive pressure creates steal and transition opportunities that fantasy and bracket watchers can track in early box scores. The Sunday home game against Cornell offers the next live look at whether that pressure holds.
The takeaway
Early defensive turnovers can set the tempo for an entire season, and Syracuse's opener shows how quickly forced miscues turn into points. Watch whether that pressure continues against Cornell on Sunday.
What happens next
Syracuse hosts Cornell at the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, when the Orange can improve to 2-0.
Further reading
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