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Sykes leads Syracuse to first-round win over Iowa State

Sports

March 18th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Brittney Sykes scored 28 points and Alexis Peterson added 25 to lead eighth-seeded Syracuse to an 85-65 win over Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Freshman Gabby Cooper added a season-high 24 points, all from 3-point range, for the Orange (22-10), who will face top-seeded UConn on Monday in a rematch of last year’s national championship game.

Seanna Johnson hit seven of her 10 shots and had 21 points for Iowa State, which finishes its season at 18-13. Iowa State actually outscored Syracuse 57-52 over the final three quarters, but the game was decided in the first 10 minutes.

Cooper, who came in averaging just under nine points a game, opened the scoring with a 3-pointer and had five of them in the first 7 minutes as the Orange ran out to a 17-3 lead. She finished the game with eight baskets from behind the arc on 15 attempts.