In three of Syracuse’s road losses this season, it saw sizable second-half leads evaporate into disheartening losses.

On Sunday, when a 13-point advantage was whittled to three, it appeared that the Orange was on track to suffer a similar fate.

This time, though, Syracuse (13-5, 2-3 Atlantic Coast) made the plays that it needed to in a 58-47 win over Pittsburgh (9-10, 1-4) at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. It marked the first ever ACC road win in program history.

“Down the stretch we did a better job rebounding, we did a better job knocking down shots,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “We were able to get down the floor and into our offense, and got some shots.”

The Orange went down 11-5 quickly on the Panthers on the back of three 3-point shots from Pittsburgh in the span of two minutes. After an Ashlee Anderson long-range swish with 16:21 left put Pitt up six, it would be the last made field goal for the Panthers for nearly 10 minutes.

Nine minutes and 56 seconds later it was Anderson again, knocking down a jumper. This time though, it was to end a 19-2 Syracuse run and a stretch of 13 straight missed Pitt shots.

“We were getting solid possessions,” Hillsman said. “We were getting shots. If we weren’t getting shots, then it would be a different story.”

Syracuse led by 12 going into the break, and by nine points with just under six minutes remaining, but an 8-2 run brought the Panthers within three. It appeared the blueprint of SU basketball on the road this season would hold true.

But when a Panthers inbound with 1:52 left went into the hands of Brianna Butler, who fed it to a cutting Brittney Sykes for an uncontested layup, Syracuse essentially sealed the win. The shot brought the lead to seven, and was followed by another open layup for Sykes just 41 seconds later.

“We need (Sykes) to score the basketball for us at the rim,” Hillsman said. “She’s done a really good job of doing that. Getting to the rim and getting opportunities.”

Sykes led the Orange with 15 points, which included a stretch of seven straight late in the second half. Taylor Ford and Briana Day both finished with double-doubles off the bench to lead a well-balanced Syracuse effort that featured four players scoring in double figures.

Hillsman said the real hero, though, was Bria Day, who came in and collected five boards when Briana Day and Shakeya Leary were on the bench with foul trouble.

“Bria came in and played solid,” Hillsman said. “We didn’t have much of a drop-off with her in the game today. I thought she played really, really solid on the boards.”

When the win seemed ready to escape Syracuse’s grasp, the Orange was able to regroup and get a victory it might not have earlier in the season.

Hillsman said getting off the first road conference win is a big step, and gives the Orange momentum heading into two home games this week.

“It’s important obviously,” Hillsman said. “We really wanted to start winning some road games. It was big for us. Now we can go home and take care of our home court. Then go back on the road and get some W’s there.”