Alexis Peterson dropped to the Carrier Dome floor — her back resting on the free-throw line and her legs extended in the air mere inches above the floor’s Atlantic Coast Conference logo.

Syracuse’s fiery point guard clenched her arms in two double-fist pumps, let out a beckoning “Ah!” and twice smacked the Carrier Dome hardwood.

In the midst of scoring 10 points in the game’s final 2:39, Peterson had just knocked down a jump shot while being fouled, an eventual three-point play that extended Syracuse’s lead to nine points with 59 seconds to go in regulation.

It was a historical night for Peterson, who led the No. 25 Orange (12-5, 2-2 ACC) to a 73-62 victory over Wake Forest (9-9, 0-4) in front of a crowd of 364. The sophomore finished with a career-high 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting and turned the ball over just once in 39 minutes.

“It was the best point guard performance in my nine years here, by far, and it ain’t even close,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “She’s established herself as a player that whenever we need something to happen, she’s going to make it happen.

“If she’s not at Syracuse University tonight, we lose. Period.”

She played all but 20 seconds in the first half and scored 17 points, two shy of her personal best for an entire game.

With 4:23 left in the first half, Peterson circled around a screen, and with Wake Forest guard Amber Campbell draped on her right hip, threw up an awkward layup. The ball rolled over the front of the rim and in. To that point, Peterson’s 14 points equaled the Demon Deacons’ total.

“She’s one of the best point guards, most dynamic point guards, I would say, in the league,” said WFU head coach Jen Hoover, who added that she’s known about Peterson since AAU ball. “She’s a big threat because she can do so many things with the ball.”

Not even Peterson’s second-half charley horse could derail her performance. After the guard made a free throw at the 12:08 mark of the second half, she came off the court with the cramp, but checked in 51 seconds later and played the rest of the game.

After a Briana Day steal with 8:51 left, Peterson found Diamond Henderson in transition and retreated to the perimeter. With the Wake Forest bench yelling “shooter!” Peterson took a pass back from Henderson and sank a mid-range jumper to give the Orange a 53-44 lead.

Peterson also stood out on defense, grabbing four rebounds and swiping two steals. Hillsman pointed to a steal Peterson had with 4:33 to go in regulation and SU clinging to a 59-51 lead as her best play of the game.

After a 6-0 WFU run, Peterson hit a 3 from the left wing to extend the lead back to five, holding her right arm in the air and relishing the moment.

“I didn’t look at it as it being my night,” Peterson said. “I was more concerned with us losing. Whether I had 32 or two, it was more so, ‘How are we going to finish this game and come out victorious?’”

Published on January 15, 2015 at 9:20 pm

Contact Josh: jmhyber@syr.edu