HANOVER, N.H. - A 20-4 run to start the second half blew open what was a four-point game at halftime as rv/rv Syracuse women's basketball (7-0) cruised to a 91-64 victory at Dartmouth (1-4) on Thursday night at Leede Arena.
Kayla Alexander poured in a game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting, while adding six rebounds and six blocks. It was the senior center's fourth game of 20 or more points this season. Junior Rachel Coffey scored 14 points and had a game-high seven assists, freshman Brianna Butler added 13 points, and Carmen Tyson-Thomas had 10 points to give SU four players in double figures. The senior also added five rebounds and tied a career-best with six steals.
The Orange dominated in the paint throughout, outscoring the Big Green 46-16, while also holding a 39-22 advantage on the boards. Syracuse hauled in 14 offensive rebounds, resulting in 24 second-chance points to Dartmouth's seven.
Syracuse shot 54.7 percent for the game, while Dartmouth shot 41.8 percent. The Big Green was an impressive 61.5 percent (8-13) from 3-point range, while the Orange shot 35.3 percent (6-17) from behind the arc.
After scoring 16 points in the first half, as Syracuse took a 37-34 lead into the locker room, Alexander was the catalyst in the Orange's 20-4 run over the first six minutes of the second half, scoring nine, as SU took a 57-37 lead with 14:02 remaining.
Despite being outshot by the Orange in the first half, 53.6 percent to 43.3 percent, the Big Green kept the game close through the first 20 minutes by going 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while SU struggled from the outside, going 2-of-8.
The Orange's outside shooting improved in the second half, going 4-of-9 from behind the arc, while Dartmouth was 4-of-7.
Abbey Schmidt led the Big Green with 18 points and Nicola Zimmer added 15, including 3-of-4 from 3-point land.
The Orange concludes its seven-game road swing with its final non-conference away game of the regular season at Temple on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at McGonigle Hall.
