SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Syracuse women’s basketball team opened its 2025-26 season with a commanding victory, dispatching the visiting Stony Brook Seawolves 74-50 on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome before a crowd of 2,052.

The Orange, heavily favored entering the contest, lived up to their billing by establishing control from the opening tip and never relenting. A dominant first quarter set the tone, with Syracuse racing out to a 22-8 lead. The early burst proved insurmountable for the Seawolves, who were playing their first game of the season and struggled to find offensive consistency against Syracuse’s defensive pressure.

Stony Brook showed flashes of resilience, particularly in the third quarter where they outscored Syracuse 16-15, but the Orange promptly extinguished any notion of a comeback with another 22-point outburst in the final period to seal the 24-point win.

The game unfolded largely as predicted by advanced metrics, with Interstat’s ELO system having given Syracuse a 96.40 percent probability of victory. The result handed the Orange a 1-0 start to their campaign, while Stony Brook begins the year 0-1.

Syracuse’s offense was fueled by a balanced and efficient attack. The Orange consistently generated high-percentage shots and capitalized on their opportunities, maintaining a comfortable lead throughout the contest. After the initial first-quarter surge, Syracuse added 15 points in both the second and third quarters before matching their opening-period output with 22 in the fourth to close out the game.

Stony Brook’s offense, by contrast, sputtered for long stretches. The Seawolves managed only eight points in the first quarter and 13 in the second, entering halftime with a significant deficit. While their third-quarter performance offered a glimmer of hope, their inability to string together stops on the defensive end prevented them from cutting meaningfully into the Orange lead. They finished the fourth quarter with another 13-point frame.

The individual performances underscored Syracuse’s depth and collective strength. Dominique Davis led the charge for the Orange, turning in a standout all-around performance that paced her team. Her ability to score and facilitate kept the Stony Brook defense off-balance throughout the evening.

She was complemented effectively by Shy Hawkins, whose contributions were pivotal in building and maintaining the Orange advantage. Hawkins’ scoring and presence on the court were consistent factors from start to finish.

For Stony Brook, the season-opening challenge was met with a determined effort from Caitlin Frost. As the focal point of the Seawolves’ offense, Frost worked to keep her team competitive against a superior opponent, leading her squad in scoring and effort despite the lopsided scoreboard.

Syracuse’s supporting cast proved too much to handle. Laila Phelia provided a significant spark, while Uche Izoje and Journey Thompson made impactful plays on both ends of the floor. Camdyn Nelson and Justus Fitzgerald also chipped in valuable minutes as part of a deep Orange rotation that wore down the Seawolves.

Stony Brook received additional efforts from Sandra FrauGarcia and Melissa Mwanza, who battled against the relentless Syracuse pressure.

With the opener behind them, both teams now look ahead to their respective schedules. Stony Brook will seek its first win of the season when it returns to New York for its home opener against Molloy this Friday, November 7. That contest begins a busy stretch for the Seawolves, who will then hit the road for games at Rutgers on November 9 and at Fordham on November 12. Further non-conference road tests at Marist and Georgia State follow later in the month.

Syracuse, meanwhile, will aim to build on its positive start with a homestand. The Orange are scheduled to host Albany this Friday, November 7, before welcoming Canisius to the Carrier Dome on Tuesday, November 11. A home game against Wagner on November 16 rounds out the immediate home slate before the team travels to Connecticut for a neutral-site game against Utah on November 21 and a matchup with Michigan on November 23.

The victory provides a solid foundation for Syracuse as it navigates the early part of its schedule, while Stony Brook leaves with a clear measure of the work ahead as it prepares for the rigors of its own season.