No. 21 Syracuse women rally to beat Ohio 66-54

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Kiara Lewis scored 16 points and Gabrielle Cooper and Taleah Washington had 10 each as No. 21 Syracuse rallied from a 14-point first-quarter deficit to overcome Ohio 66-54 on Tuesday night in a season opener.

It wasn't until Washington grabbed an offensive rebound and raced out to the 3-point line to hit a shot at the first-half buzzer that the Orange took its first lead, 31-30, since the opening minute. The Orange scored the final 10 points of the half.

The game was tied at 46-all late in the third period when the Orange pulled away with Cooper starting a 14-0 run with a 3-pointer. The Orange made 9 of 26 from the arc.

Lewis had nine rebounds and eight assists. The redshirt junior made her first start for Syracuse, replacing Tiana Mangakahia, who is out for the season after finishing treatment last month for breast cancer. Mangakahia averaged nearly 17 points a game in her first two seasons.

Cierra Hooks scored 17 points with nine rebounds to lead the Bobcats. Amani Burke scored 15 points and Erica Johnson 13.