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In Syracuse’s loss to Saint Joseph’s, the game unraveled in the third quarter. The Orange were outscored by the Hawks 26-15 and couldn’t overcome the 14-point deficit. It was SU’s first nonconference loss at home since 2019, a streak that lasted 27 games.

Against Maryland, Syracuse improved its third-quarter performance along with defending the perimeter, but other problems arose. In the second quarter, the Terrapins went on a 15-0 run to climb back from an early deficit and take the lead.

Kyra Wood bounced back with a double-double while Georgia Woolley led SU with 17 points, but it didn’t have enough in the tank to overcome Maryland’s once 13-point lead. The Terrapins got Izabel Varejão in foul trouble early and used their strong second quarter to defeat the Orange.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (1-2, Atlantic Coast Conference) 84–73 loss to Maryland (4-0, Big Ten):

Crashing the glass

Syracuse got three straight baskets on second-chance attempts in the first quarter. The Orange’s success on the offensive glass started with Journey Thompson converting a put-back layup after a miss by Wood in the paint.

Then, Olivia Schmitt shifted into the middle of the Maryland defense for a mid-range shot. She missed short and grabbed her own rebound. Then, she put up another shot around the free throw line, drawing nylon.

With under two minutes left in the opening quarter, Wood missed again, but SU gathered the board. Burrows snared it before stepping out to the 3-point line to sink a 3. The Orange’s early knack for converting on second chances helped them garner a 20-14 lead after the first quarter.

Woolley starts hot

Syracuse’s first eight points of the game came from Woolley. Her start helped SU get out to an 8-7 lead over Maryland in the first five minutes.

On SU’s first possession, Angelica Velez drove the baseline before finding Woolley open in the corner for 3. Maryland’s Kaylene Smikle answered with a layup on the other end, but the Terrapins’ next time down the floor, Woolley rejected Smikle.

Woolley kept her hot touch early, sinking her second 3 in as many attempts. With under six minutes left in the first quarter, she drove the lane and converted a layup. Woolley reached 10 points with another layup around the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, helping the Orange gain a 24-14 lead.

After Maryland climbed back to take the lead behind an 11-0 run, Woolley helped to quiet the Terrapins’ momentum. On an inbounds pass, Burrows found Woolley, who shimmied into a deep 3 late in the second quarter, extending her tally to 13 points.

Turnovers plague SU in 2nd quarter

After jumping out to a 10-point lead early in the second quarter, Syracuse’s lead disappeared. A big reason Maryland went on a 15-0 run was SU’s turnovers. The Orange committed five in the quarter.

Woolley, who had been SU’s top option early on, had the ball taken away around the six-minute mark. On Maryland’s next possession, Bri McDaniel converted a layup to cut SU’s advantage to one.

Then, McDaniel picked Velez’s pocket midway through the quarter and got the ball to Christina Dalce for a layup. With Varejão in early foul trouble, SU couldn’t lean on its veteran center’s experience.

Syracuse protected the ball over the next three minutes and tallied five points in the span behind shots from Wood and Woolley. But then SU committed turnovers on two straight possessions, as Maryland closed the quarter on a 5-2 run and took an 11-point lead into halftime.

Varejão’s foul trouble

Just over six minutes into the game, Varejão was called for her second foul of the contest. She tallied no points and SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack decided to sit her starting center for the rest of the half.

Foul trouble continued to haunt Varejão early in the third quarter, as she received two more fouls, bringing her to four. In just over two minutes of play in the third quarter, Varejão garnered a block but was held in check otherwise.

With Syracuse trailing by nine with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Varejão checked back into the game. Maryland immediately targeted its offense at her. McDaniel drove right at Varejão, and there was little she could do as the layup went right over her extended arms and into the basket.

Varejão snared a steal and scored two baskets, including one shot that brought SU within six points but then fouled out with 2:57 left in the game. Saylor Poffenbarger attacked down on the post, and Varejão picked up her fifth foul.

Published on November 13, 2024 at 9:15 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32