The Syracuse women’s basketball team has a week to regroup after experiencing its first loss of the season, 81-55 to No. 6 Michigan on Sunday as part of the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase in Uncasville, Conn.

Michigan proved its mettle on Friday in an 82-79 loss to No. 1 UConn, and the Wolverines (5-1) continued their rugged play and offensive efficiency against the Orange.

Syracuse (5-1) shot just 28.8% (17 of 59) for the game, while Michigan finished at 47.1% (32 of 68). The Wolverines forced 23 turnovers and converted them into 31points. And they grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, helping them toward their 42 points in the paint.

“Our guards didn’t come to the boards,” Orange coach Felisha Legette-Jack said postgame. “... We got boxed out, and we stayed boxed out. That’s not who we are and that’s not how I coach -- and that’s unfortunate.”

Michigan’s bench outscored the Orange bench 42-28. Half of those points came from Te’Yala Delfosse, who scored 21 – a career high – as a reserve for the Wolverines. She hit 8 of her 11 shot attempts in just 19 minutes. Olivia Olson contributed 18 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Legette-Jack had high praise for Michigan – and its bench players.

“They’re an Elite Eight team. Their bench scored 42 points,” she said. “Their bench can start on a [Power 4] team right now.”

For Syracuse, Laila Phelia – a transfer from Michigan who spent three seasons with the Wolverines – topped the box score for the Orange with 13 points. Uche Izoje had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Dominique Darius added 10 points for Syracuse.

Michigan dashed out to a 20-6 lead and Syracuse couldn’t come back, trailing 38-21 at the half.

The Wolverines turned the lights out on the Orange in the third quarter, growing the lead to 60-32 after a Delfosse layup with 3:32 remaining in the frame.

Legette-Jack said her team didn’t play up to its ability.

“I apologized to Michigan for that because I don’t think we have given them a good example of what competition looked like,” she said. “Disappointed in our effort. Not necessarily that it would have changed the fabric of the score, but we certainly know that we’re a much better team than we displayed.”

Syracuse will host Howard at the JMA Wireless Dome on Nov. 30, followed by Auburn for the SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 3.

A BIG PROGRAM: Syracuse basketball coach Adrian Autry says his program is still a big one, despite the lack of recent success. READ HERE: 

TOUGH DAY ON THE GRIDIRON: Syracuse's Fran Brown Calls Notre Dame Loss a 'Learning Experience,' But Is it Really? READ HERE

NEVER FAR AWAY: Jim Boeheim made a call into Syracuse sports talk radio on Tuesday night to offer some advice to the hosts. READ HERE:

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