What’s gone wrong for Syracuse Women’s Basketball
By Kiran Costa | @Costa_Kiran
Syracuse women’s basketball has not had the start that anyone was hoping for. A rocky 4-5 start in non-conference play doesn’t bode well for the toughest ACC slate in a long time. Syracuse dropped games to Saint Joseph’s and UAlbany, both of which it was projected to win, and is coming off a loss to a banged-up Texas A&M team. What’s gone wrong?
Lack of Consistency
Syracuse has been inconsistent all season in every facet of the game. Syracuse struggled mightily in the second quarter to start the season. Through the first five games, Syracuse had a negative 28-point differential in the second frame. The orange would start the game well and allow teams to explode against the second unit. But over the past few games, the issue has been the start of games. Syracuse scored just nine points in the first quarter in back-to-back games against Creighton and Yale. Syracuse needs to find a way to play a complete game for all four quarters. The inconsistencies can also be found on a positional basis, SU has already had three starting point guards in the first month of the year (Camp, Velez, Schmitt). Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack has spoken about how she is content to try many different lineups to find one that sticks.
The Post-Dyasiha Era
It’s always going to be difficult when you lose one of the best players in College women’s Basketball history, but I don’t think Coach Jack expected it to be this hard. Last season we knew who was going to take the shot down the stretch when SU needed a bucket, this year that person is yet to be decided. Georgia Woolley has been great this year for the Orange leading the team in points, but she doesn’t have the ability to take over a game like Fair. In a late-game situation against the Great Danes Georgia had her chance, but picked up an offensive foul and UAlbany won the game on the next possession. In a close game this week against Texas A&M, Syracuse did not score in the final 4:48, and lost by 12. In a situation like that one, it was nice to turn to Dyaisha Fair to get the offense back on track and the team no longer has that option. In that game in College Station Woolley and Burrows combined to shoot 3-26 from the field and there was no one there to pick up the slack. The SU shooters, mainly Woolley and Burrows, will need to step up if Syracuse wants a shot in the ACC.
Next Up
The road doesn’t get any easier for the ‘Cuse, in fact, it gets a whole lot tougher as they open up conference play against #10 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish is the toughest team on the schedule so far, by a lot. Even though Notre Dame has dropped two of their last three games they still sit #10 in the rankings (have been as high as #3). They have arguably the best duo in the country with Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles. The Orange took both games against the Fighting Irish last season, this time they try to do it without Daishia Fair.
