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Syracuse’s first conference game on Dec. 31 against then-No. 13 Notre Dame went as well as it could’ve, with the Orange picking up an 86-81 win. The win propelled SU to the No. 25 spot in the AP Poll, marking the first time it has been ranked under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack.

Following their win over ND, the Orange traveled to Chapel Hill looking to cement themselves as a premiere team in the ACC. But North Carolina — who lost its ranking in the AP Poll for the first time all season with SU’s entrance — dominated the Orange. Alyssa Ustby’s triple-double spearheaded the Tar Heels to a 75-51 win.

Returning to the JMA Wireless Dome Sunday night, Syracuse needed a bounce-back win. It delivered. Although the Orange didn’t play their best basketball, SU scrapped out its second conference win of the season.

Here are some observations from No. 25 Syracuse’s (12-2, 2-1 ACC) 71-64 win over Boston College (9-7, 1-2 ACC):

Sophie Burrows’ career night

Despite inefficiencies and freshman growing pains, Sophie Burrows has shown flashes that she can be a scoring threat for the Orange. In her second career collegiate game, Burrows scored 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting against Central Connecticut on Nov. 10. But since her performance against the Blue Devils, Burrows hadn’t scored in double figures — until tonight.

Although she missed her first two 3-pointers, Burrows remained undeterred. Midway through the second quarter, Burrows was left open in the left corner and nailed her first 3-pointer, giving SU a seven-point lead — it’s then largest of the game. Toward the end of the first half, Burrows corralled one of her career-high eight rebounds on an Alaina Rice miss and converted on the second-chance basket for her seventh point of the game.

Burrows’ strong first half performance prompted Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack to start her in favor of forward Kyra Wood in the third quarter. Less than a minute into the quarter, she drained a step-back 3 and nailed her third 3 of the game two minutes later. Late in the fourth quarter, Burrows tacked on a mid-range jumper and another second-chance opportunity to close out the win. Against BC, Burrows’ career-high 17 points lifted the Orange to a much-needed win.

Georgia Woolley’s struggles continue

Dyaisha Fair and Georgia Woolley are the Orange’s most important offensive players. Against North Carolina, both of the star guards struggled, leaving the Orange hopeless offensively. While Fair notched a team-high 17 points on an efficient 7-for-22, Woolley turned in a season-low three points on 1-for-10 shooting with all six of her 3-pointers missing the mark.

Looking for a bounce-back performance against BC, Woolley again faltered. After shooting 2-for-9 in the first half, including 0-for-4 from 3, Woolley went 1-for-4 in the second half, finishing with six points.

Entering tonight’s game, Woolley was 12-for-55 (21.8%) from 3. Woolley has attempted the second-most three-pointers on the team this season, but her 21.8% clip is dead last among the eight players to attempt a 3. For the Orange to unlock their full offensive potential, Woolley — and her 3-point shooting — must improve.

First quarter struggles

In SU’s nonconference portion of its schedule, it often struggled early in games. Against Cornell on Dec. 18, the Orange trailed by eight at halftime before mounting a second half comeback.

Syracuse looked dominant against the inferior St. Francis in its ensuing game while following that up with its statement win against the Fighting Irish, but the struggles resurfaced against the Tar Heels. In the first half on Thursday, the Orange shot just 34.4% from the field and followed that up with a six-point third quarter — allowing UNC to jump out to a 21-point lead.

The Orange’s first quarter against the Eagles was reminiscent of their third quarter against the Tar Heels. Instead of missing all eight of its 3-pointers as they did in Chapel Hill, SU missed all seven of its first quarter 3s. Syracuse scored just 11 first quarter points — its lowest mark of the season.

Thanks to the Eagles shooting 5-for-15 in the opening period, Syracuse carried an 11-10 lead into the second quarter, where it looked much better offensively. After not knocking down a single 3, Fair hit two triples while Burrows added one of her own, helping the Orange take a 32-22 lead into the break despite shooting 11-for-31 from the field.

Turnovers galore

Entering Sunday’s contest, Boston College’s 22.7 opponent turnovers per game ranked ninth in Division I, per HerHoopStats. The Orange’s 15.1 giveaways entering the contest ranked 114th in D-1 while their season-high was 24 against Alabama on Nov. 30.

In the first half alone, SU nearly notched its season average, turning the ball over 14 times. The Orange took better control of the ball in the second half, giving it away 11 times, but it still finished with 25 turnovers — a season-high. It was the Eagles’ fourth consecutive game forcing 20 or more turnovers. Off of the turnovers it forced, Boston College capitalized, scoring 31 of its 64 points off turnovers.

Defensively, Syracuse notched one of its best performances, too. It forced Boston College into 21 of its own turnovers and turned that into 24 points on the other end. While BC played better offensively down the stretch, its 64 points was the second-least Syracuse has allowed to a Power Five team this season.

Published on January 7, 2024 at 8:28 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon