Briana Day caught a pass in the low post, laid it in and drew a foul. She calmly walked back toward the free-throw line, all alone on the right side of the court and no one congratulated her at first. The show that Day was about to put on was just beginning.

Day had just scored her sixth point, and Syracuse still trailed by four at the start of the third quarter, but it was the start of five straight points for Day and a furious second-half comeback that sparked the Orange to a 71-52 win over Georgia Tech.

On SU’s next offensive possession, Day drove from the 3-point line, past a Yellow Jackets defender on the interior, and smoothly released a right-handed layup. Minutes later, Day scored again off a pass from Cornelia Fondren, building Syracuse’s lead and momentum.

Assistant coach Tammi Reiss couldn’t contain herself to her seat. Head coach Quentin Hillsman was as far out onto the floor as the Carrier logo near midcourt.

“Briana Day was tremendous,” Hillsman said. “… I thought she was amazing.”

Day notched her fourth double double of the season on Sunday in the Carrier Dome and led the way for SU (18-6, 8-3 Atlantic Coast) with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the 19-point victory. But Syracuse trailed by six at the half and Day’s explosive performance helped down GT (14-10, 4-7).

Hillsman, as usual, didn’t run many plays designed to go to Day, but Day got open because Georgia Tech switched on ball screens, allowing her to be matched up with a point guard at times. That gave the 6-foot-4 Day a clear height advantage, and twice she drove to the hoop from the 3-point line, protecting the ball with her body.

And when Day stayed down low, she beat the Yellow Jackets’ 6-foot Roddreka Rogers in the post. Day’s athleticism outmatched Rogers’ bigger frame and her ability to outjump GT helped the ACC’s fourth best rebounder grab seven offensive rebounds

“She’s so long. … We didn’t get a body on her,” Georgia Tech head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “We tried to outjump her and you can’t outjump her. She’s way longer than any of us.”

Day’s 21 points were the second most she’s scored in a game this season, but her most in a conference game. Entering Sunday, Day averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 boards and her performance was one that junior Alexis Peterson said Day was waiting to have.

After picking up just four points and six rebounds in the first half, Day attracted Georgia Tech’s defense. Even so, Day dictated the game.

“They were coming for me, really,” Day said. “It’s just about a will. You have to have a will to go in. So that’s what I did. Went in there fearless.”

With eight minutes left, Day intercepted a Georgia Tech pass in transition. No one was in front of her as she pushed the ball in the opposite direction and laid in the easy two points. Day may have slipped after the layup, but Syracuse never let its six-point lead do the same the rest of the game.

As time trickled out in the fourth quarter, Day stayed on the court and added to her already impressive stat line. But by then her work was done as she pushed a deficit into a lead and a lead into a comfortable cushion.

“We couldn’t guard her,” Joseph said. “We had a really hard time with her inside.”

Published on February 7, 2016 at 6:44 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds