Preview:
Three games ago I told you I could not predict a single win in that stretch. I am so sad that my fears came true. Fortunately, our next 5 (maybe 6) games are all winnable--we will probably be favored in each of them, given that we are past the toughest competition. It is not unreasonable to hope that we could go out this year on a winning streak.
If we do, that streak will have to start at Maples against Syracuse. Syracuse is 10-13 on the year, 4-8 in conference, and rated by Massey at 74. (We are now 43--which somehow seems better than the way this season feels.) Syracuse is about evenly rated with Clemson, which beat us, and with Washington State, which we beat. They are not a doormat team, as their four conference wins attest. But it is a game we should be expected to win--especially so since we are playing at home and it is the opponent's turn for jet lag. Winning this game would be a small step forward but could have many positive (though subtle) implications.
Much will depend upon whether Agara and Harriel are back....the only information I have is the announcers in the last game saying that the team "hoped" they would be back for this weekend. That might mean later than the Syracuse game....but I just don't know.
Syracuse is on an upswing. They are coming off a weekend with two wins, including a win @ #38 Virginia Tech, by far their best win of the season. They were more competitive than we were against both North Carolina State and Louisville, although they also lost. They lost to Notre Dame by 31 in their first conference game. So they often been a bit more competitive in the league than we have. On the other hand, we beat Florida State and they lost to them.
Syracuse is led by Georgia Woolley who is averaging 15 ppg. She is a 6'0" senior guard from Australia who shoots the three at 32% and appears to be a solid all-rounder.
Kyra Wood is close behind with 12 ppg and 7 rpg. Wood is a 6'3" senior forward who is big and strong. If there were ever a game for Umeh to shine, this would be the time.
Sophie Burrows is also at 12 ppg. She has 50 treys at 39% and is their top perimeter threat. She is a 6'2" sophomore guard. Maybe Bosgana gets her? Or perhaps Demetre can guard her. Clearly she is too tall for Shay and Clardy.
Izabel Varejão is a 6'4" center from Brazil. This is her second year as a grad student for Syracuse, having transferred in from Michigan. She is averaging 8 ppg on 50% shooting. Clearly we need to deny her the ball inside. Who will guard her?
In their last game, Dominique Camp was the fifth starter, though this has varied a little over the seaon. Camp is a 5'8" graduate student guard. She transferred last year but tore her ACL, and so this is her first full year at Syracuse. Camp has 99 assists to 41 turnovers on the season. She scores just 5ppg but seems accurate.
In looking this roster over, we will be at a height disadvantage in the paint, but the Syracuse "bigs" don't normally score a lot. It will be important to keep it that way. We need to prevent the inside/out game that Syracuse may employ with two big forwards inside who are able to pass back out to Burrows. If I were Syracuse I would be game planning to feed it inside.
Once again our team is far less experienced than the opposition, which has two grad students and two senior starters.
However we cut it, we are sometimes going to have shorter players defending taller players. Hopefully we are the ones with a speed or quickness advantage. At least Syracuse does not seem to be filled with lightning quick guards.
So Syracuse poses a big challenge, but not one that should seem out of reach. We need the team that beat Florida State and tied LSU in regulation to start showing up, and if it does, the twilight of this season will seem a lot brighter.
Three games ago I told you I could not predict a single win in that stretch. I am so sad that my fears came true. Fortunately, our next 5 (maybe 6) games are all winnable--we will probably be favored in each of them, given that we are past the toughest competition. It is not unreasonable to hope that we could go out this year on a winning streak.
If we do, that streak will have to start at Maples against Syracuse. Syracuse is 10-13 on the year, 4-8 in conference, and rated by Massey at 74. (We are now 43--which somehow seems better than the way this season feels.) Syracuse is about evenly rated with Clemson, which beat us, and with Washington State, which we beat. They are not a doormat team, as their four conference wins attest. But it is a game we should be expected to win--especially so since we are playing at home and it is the opponent's turn for jet lag. Winning this game would be a small step forward but could have many positive (though subtle) implications.
Much will depend upon whether Agara and Harriel are back....the only information I have is the announcers in the last game saying that the team "hoped" they would be back for this weekend. That might mean later than the Syracuse game....but I just don't know.
Syracuse is on an upswing. They are coming off a weekend with two wins, including a win @ #38 Virginia Tech, by far their best win of the season. They were more competitive than we were against both North Carolina State and Louisville, although they also lost. They lost to Notre Dame by 31 in their first conference game. So they often been a bit more competitive in the league than we have. On the other hand, we beat Florida State and they lost to them.
Syracuse is led by Georgia Woolley who is averaging 15 ppg. She is a 6'0" senior guard from Australia who shoots the three at 32% and appears to be a solid all-rounder.
Kyra Wood is close behind with 12 ppg and 7 rpg. Wood is a 6'3" senior forward who is big and strong. If there were ever a game for Umeh to shine, this would be the time.
Sophie Burrows is also at 12 ppg. She has 50 treys at 39% and is their top perimeter threat. She is a 6'2" sophomore guard. Maybe Bosgana gets her? Or perhaps Demetre can guard her. Clearly she is too tall for Shay and Clardy.
Izabel Varejão is a 6'4" center from Brazil. This is her second year as a grad student for Syracuse, having transferred in from Michigan. She is averaging 8 ppg on 50% shooting. Clearly we need to deny her the ball inside. Who will guard her?
In their last game, Dominique Camp was the fifth starter, though this has varied a little over the seaon. Camp is a 5'8" graduate student guard. She transferred last year but tore her ACL, and so this is her first full year at Syracuse. Camp has 99 assists to 41 turnovers on the season. She scores just 5ppg but seems accurate.
In looking this roster over, we will be at a height disadvantage in the paint, but the Syracuse "bigs" don't normally score a lot. It will be important to keep it that way. We need to prevent the inside/out game that Syracuse may employ with two big forwards inside who are able to pass back out to Burrows. If I were Syracuse I would be game planning to feed it inside.
Once again our team is far less experienced than the opposition, which has two grad students and two senior starters.
However we cut it, we are sometimes going to have shorter players defending taller players. Hopefully we are the ones with a speed or quickness advantage. At least Syracuse does not seem to be filled with lightning quick guards.
So Syracuse poses a big challenge, but not one that should seem out of reach. We need the team that beat Florida State and tied LSU in regulation to start showing up, and if it does, the twilight of this season will seem a lot brighter.
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