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Syracuse snapped its two-game skid when it soundly beat Fairleigh Dickinson 77-58 Sunday. Eleven players scored a point for the Orange as they rode a 23-11 third-quarter advantage to defeat FDU. SU put the Knights to the sword in the post, outscoring them 40-6 in the paint.

Next, Syracuse faced UAlbany. SU started slow, only scoring six points before the five-minute mark of the first quarter. But the Orange heated up to close the first.

However, UAlbany dominated the second quarter – continuing a trend for Syracuse — giving SU a one-point halftime lead. The game tightened down the stretch after an 8-2 Syracuse run to end the third quarter. Ultimately, UAlbany escaped with the narrow victory — only its second win over a Power Four school in program history.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (2-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) 73-70 loss to UAlbany (4-0, 0-0 America East):

Syracuse finds footing early

Both Syracuse and UAlbany struggled to score coming out of the gate. Georgia Woolley missed the game’s first shot but UAlbany couldn’t convert on its first two attempts. Then, Dominique Camp — who played a clean game against FDU with eight assists and no turnovers — turned the ball over 36 seconds in. But Camp stole the ball back 12 seconds later.

Both teams got on the board on consecutive possessions before neither scored for the next two minutes. Camp turned the ball over again, allowing a fast break for the Great Danes. But Kaci Donovan’s layup was blocked by Sophie Burrows. SU’s passes were loose and its shots were frequently off the mark early. Woolley drove in and drew a shooting foul at the 6:22 mark. Her conversions on both free throws at the 6:22 mark were the first points for the Orange since the 9:01 mark.

Syracuse heated up from there, catalyzed by a Woolley circus shot and-one. Woolley drove to the right baseline before tossing a shot that hung in the air and then dropped. The Australian was fouled in the process and headed to the line to stretch Syracuse’s lead to 9-3 at the halfway mark of the first quarter.

The seas parted for SU, as it outscored UAlbany 12-8 for the rest of the first quarter. Burrows netted a corner 3-pointer. Woolley cashed in on a layup and 3. Off the bench, Journey Thompson and Keira Scott bagged buckets. Consequently, the first quarter ended at 21-11. After SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said her team was focusing on defense during Tuesday’s practice, the Orange allowed the fewest points in a first quarter this season, overcoming their slow start to build a double-digit lead.

2nd-quarter struggles persist

Syracuse finished the first quarter on the right note but couldn’t pick up where it left off in the second. A Saniaa Wilson layup was sandwiched between two UAlbany scores, beginning Syracuse’s 5:36-minute scoring drought. In that time, UAlbany went on a 9-0 run to trim the deficit to 25-23. UAlbany clawed its way back to tie the game 27-27 with 2:55 left in the first half.

UAlbany’s Kayla Cooper continuously posted up and converted from inside the paint. Cooper, who averaged 21 points per game entering the matchup, exited late in the first quarter with an apparent injury. At the time, she had 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting. As a team, the Great Danes shot 8-for-13 in the second quarter. Meanwhile, Cooper finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a complete performance.

Syracuse’s late spark in the second quarter came from an unlikely source — freshman guard Olivia Schmitt. Schmitt intercepted a UAlbany inbounds pass and took it to the cup to give SU a 29-27 lead. With 24 seconds left in the half, Schmitt dictated the Orange’s offense, feeding a cutting Izabel Varejão inside for an easy layup. The finish was enough to hand Syracuse a narrow 31-30 halftime advantage, but it was outscored 19-10 in the second quarter.

The second-quarter swoon by Syracuse continues a season-long trend. Through five games, the Orange have been outscored 101-73 in the second quarters of games.

Woolley shines

Woolley scored SU’s first eight points in its win over Fairleigh Dickinson Sunday. Against UAlbany, the senior notched 10 first-quarter points. Following her and-one floater in the first quarter, Woolley sank a 3-pointer from the corner to push Syracuse’s lead to 17-5.

Like SU as a whole, Woolley was quieter in the second quarter, only netting two points. But at the half, she had 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting with a 3-for-3 clip from the charity stripe. In the third quarter, Woolley got inside for a layup giving SU a 35-34 lead. Two plays later, she zipped a pass to Camp, who got the hoop and the harm to push SU’s lead to 38-36.

With SU down by eight with under two minutes to go in the third quarter, Woolley nailed a 3 from the wing. She drove and scored a layup in the final minute of the third quarter and swiped a steal in the final seconds to prevent UAlbany from snagging a score that would’ve extended its lead. Woolley scored six points across SU’s 8-2 run to close the third.

Syracuse had the chance for the last shot after Cooper committed a charge with 24 seconds left. On the Orange’s possession, Woolley made a shot after contact but an offensive foul was called. She scored a season-high 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting, but it wasn’t enough for Syracuse to claim the win.

3s in the 4th

The fourth quarter started inauspiciously for the Orange as Woolley turned the ball over before a second elapsed from the clock. The first points of the quarter came from a Burrows corner 3, handing SU a 54-53 lead. UAlbany tried to answer with a pair of 3s, but Martina Borrellas and Lilly Phillips’ shots were off the mark.

To answer Woolley’s 3, UAlbany’s Jessica Tomasetti sank a 3. Both teams attempted triples on their next possessions, each failing to convert. After Varejão had handed SU a 61-59 advantage, the Great Danes’ Delanie Hill knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner.

UAlbany went back to 3s on its next possession, bricking two bids from beyond the arc to maintain SU’s one-point lead. Donovan tried a 3 from the left corner but missed. However, Hill picked up the offensive rebound and put away the layup.

SU strung together points inside with Wood cashing in on 3-of-4 free throws and slick passes by Schmitt finding Wood down low. The Great Danes had a chance to take the lead with 47 seconds left but an open Phillips look rimmed out.

With 3.5 seconds left in the game, it was Phillips again trying her luck from the left corner. This time, her shot was pure, giving UAlbany a 73-70 lead. On the last shot of the game, Burrows hoisted a 3, but it was off the mark, giving UAlbany a memorable victory.

Published on November 20, 2024 at 9:19 pm

Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu | @nalumkal