Wake Forest University
Syracuse
Deacs Fall to No. 20 Orange, 85-64
2/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Elisa Penna and Kelila Atkinson scored in double figures as Wake Forest fell to No. 20/21 Syracuse, 85-64, Thursday evening inside the Carrier Dome.
Penna scored a team-high 20 points to extend her streak of games in double figures to five-straight and has now scored 10 or more points in 23 of 28 games this season. The sophomore scored 12 of her 20 points in the first half on 5-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Atkinson, making just her fifth appearance in almost two calendar years, scored a season-high 14 points while matching a career-high with seven rebounds.
Ona Udoh had her best game as a Deac, as the freshman scored a career-best eight points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and brought in six rebounds.
Penna started out Thursday's game hot for Wake Forest (15-13, 6-9), as she scored the team's first five points to match Syracuse (19-9, 10-5) at 5-all early in the first quarter. The Orange would proceed to go on a 12-0 run to jump out to a 17-5 lead, a margin the Deacs would not be able to overcome.
Syracuse would extend its lead to 42-28 lead going into halftime thanks largely to a plus-13 rebounding margin over Wake Forest, who entered the game as one of the top rebounding teams in the ACC. The Deacs would respond on the glass, and outrebound the Orange by 13 in the second half to even the rebounding margin at 44-all for the game.
The Demon Deacons saw increased production out of their bench against Cuse, as the reserve players contributed 30 of Wake Forest's 64 points.
Wake Forest closes out the regular season and its home slate of games on Sunday, Feb. 25, as No. 14 Louisville comes to town for a 2 p.m. tip. Sunday's game will be the final regular season home game for four Demon Deacons, with Atkinson, Clarisse Berranger, Jill Brunori and Milan Quinn all making their final regular season appearance inside the LJVM Coliseum.
