Women's Basketball

Brittney Sykes scores career-high 34 points in No. 20 Syracuse 95-64 win over North Carolina

Colin Davy | Asst. Photo Editor

Brittney Sykes scored a career-high 34 points in No. 20 Syracuse's 95-64 blowout of North Carolina.

As Brittney Sykes emerged from the tunnel behind Syracuse’s bench, she flashed a smile. Seventeen first-half points from the Orange’s redshirt senior guard deserved a grin, even if she hadn’t revealed much other than a concentrated stare in the game’s first 20 minutes.

Sykes tacked on another 17 points in the next 18 minutes before exiting to a standing ovation. She had scored only 29 points in her last two games. On Sunday alone, she scored five more than that for the second 30-point game in her senior season.

Less than 48 hours after one of Sykes worst performances of the season — 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting and five turnovers in a 72-55 loss at No. 14 Duke — Sykes regained the footing that’s put her second on the ACC’s leading scorers list, behind only her backcourt mate Alexis Peterson. In her best game of what’s molded into the best season of her career, Sykes scored a career-high 34 points. She also handed out three assists, grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots Sunday afternoon as No. 20 Syracuse (18-8, 9-4 Atlantic Coast) rolled North Carolina (13-12, 2-10), 95-64.

“She’s probably going to be a candidate for an All-American,” North Carolina’s 31-year Hall of Fame head coach Sylvia Hatchell said.

“She’s unstoppable.”



The last time SU played the Tar Heels, a four-point loss at Chapel Hill in January 2016, Sykes scored only nine points on 4-of-18 shooting. This time, she channeled Peterson when she commanded the point on breakaways and restarts. She also mirrored the approach of Briana Day, who had 19 points and 16 rebounds, when she backed down, leaned in and powered up a turnaround jump hook.

Sykes improvised off the dribble, avoiding a UNC defense sliding with her every move. It’s what’s she done throughout this season, and it’s why she can screech to a halt when double-teamed, swerve in the lane while other players skate past her and step back with enough separation to sneak off a midrange jumper or 3-pointer.

To get to 34 points, the third-highest total from an SU women’s basketball player in Carrier Dome history, Sykes shot 10-for-19 from the field and 13-for-17 from the charity stripe. She eclipsed 1,700 career points in a game SU extended its home win streak to 18.

“I was just taking what the defense gave me,” Sykes said. “They were just giving me the open lane.”

Sykes’ development as a player — from pure scorer to do-it-all offensive co-pilot — showed on Sunday. This game marked the latest example of Sykes’ transformation post-knee injuries. They limited her play over the last two seasons, during which she could show only glimpses of the All-ACC player she was her sophomore year.

Several acrobatic drive and layups, during which Sykes seemed to pause in mid air while defenders fell to the ground, enlivened the SU crowd and bench. One bumped Syracuse’s lead to 17, prompting Hatchell to call timeout. Minutes later, Sykes kick-started SU’s second quarter run with a nifty maneuver to bypass one defender. Her drop step got her past another and to the rack.

As the game wore on, Sykes practically established a residence at the free-throw line. Over and over her downhill drives at the rim drew contact. She attempted a career-high 17 free throws on nine separate trips for Syracuse, which entered Sunday placed sixth in the ACC. Now winners of five of its last six, an SU team backed by Sykes looks poised for another late-season run. For Sykes, who reached double-digits in every game but one this season, Sunday’s effort bumps Syracuse one step closer to a higher ACC tournament seed.

Last week, Syracuse moved up four spots to No. 20 in the AP Top 25. On Tuesday, Sykes was named one of 19 players the Dawn Staley Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation’s top guards. On Sunday, she had the best game of her career.

“Brittney was phenomenal,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said.

A couple of seconds before the first quarter buzzer sounded, Sykes took a pair of dribbles down toward the right elbow, then got to the basket with another dribble and laid the ball off the glass. She looked over her left shoulder at the scoreboard, walked slowly to the bench and sat down. Then, she smirked.





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