SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Interstat) — Laila Phelia scored 23 points and Dominique Darius added 20 as Syracuse used a dominant first half and a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from Georgia Tech 94-70 in Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball on Thursday night at the Carrier Dome.

A crowd of 2,350 watched the Orange (17-4, 8-2 ACC) win their third straight conference game and hand the Yellow Jackets (9-13, 4-6) their second consecutive loss.

The game was effectively decided in a blistering stretch spanning the final minutes of the second quarter and the opening of the third. Leading 40-23 at halftime, Syracuse opened the second half with a 15-4 run, fueled by seven points from Darius and four from Phelia, to extend its lead to 55-27. The Orange shot 66.7% from the field in the third quarter, outscoring Georgia Tech 31-28 to take a commanding 71-51 lead into the final period.

Syracuse never allowed the lead to dip below 18 points in the fourth quarter. The Orange’s offensive efficiency was staggering, scoring 94 points on 81 possessions for an offensive rating of 115.9. They shot 52.9% from the field, including a scorching 66.7% from three-point range, making 8 of 12 attempts.

Phelia, a guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, rebounded from a six-point performance in Syracuse’s previous game to lead all scorers. She added three steals in 32 minutes. Darius, from Jacksonville, Florida, complemented her with 20 points, three assists and three steals.

Izoje Uche, a 6-foot-3 forward from Delta State, Nigeria, controlled the paint for Syracuse with 17 points, four blocks and a game-high 11 rebounds. The Orange dominated the glass, outrebounding Georgia Tech 40-24 and grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to the Yellow Jackets’ three. Syracuse also forced 19 turnovers, converting them into 28 points, and blocked eight shots.

Georgia Tech was led by Jada Crawshaw’s 16 points and Brianna Turnage’s 13. Savannah Samuel added 10 points. The Yellow Jackets shot 43.6% from the field and were efficient from the free-throw line, making 18 of 22 attempts, but were undone by the turnover disparity and Syracuse’s superior shot-making.

The most important sequence of the game came early, as Syracuse established immediate control. After Georgia Tech’s Brianna Turnage scored the opening basket, the Orange responded with a 16-2 run over the next four and a half minutes. The burst included a three-pointer from Phelia, two jumpers from Darius, and layups from Uche and Shy Hawkins. Georgia Tech committed five turnovers during the stretch, from which Syracuse scored eight points, setting a disruptive tone that lasted the entire night. The Yellow Jackets never recovered from the early deficit, trailing by double digits for the final 33 minutes of the game.

Syracuse led 18-8 after a first quarter defined by its defensive pressure and 40-23 at halftime. The Orange’s defense held Georgia Tech to just 30.4% shooting in the opening half.

Syracuse next travels to face Miami on Sunday. Georgia Tech returns home to host Boston College on Sunday.