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Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack encouraged her team to keep shooting. While Cornell’s 2-3 zone applied significant pressure to SU’s offense, the Orange felt that their failure to capitalize offensively was more a result of missing open looks rather than the Big Red’s defensive efforts.

At halftime, Syracuse trailed 37-29. Its 29 points was the lowest halftime scoring total all season for SU. Across a 7:20 stretch from midway through the first quarter to two minutes into the second quarter, the Orange were held scoreless. Midway through the third quarter, SU’s deficit grew to as large as 14 points.

Throughout the remainder of the game, Syracuse chipped away at Cornell’s lead, cutting the Big Red’s lead to one with four minutes remaining. Then the Orange did something they hadn’t been able to do all game: make 3-pointers. Syracuse’s three leading scorers — Dyaisha Fair (19.2 points per game), Alaina Rice (12.4) and Georgia Woolley (15.7) — each converted key triples down the stretch, propelling Syracuse to a comeback win over Cornell.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Orange shot 4-for-15 from deep, failing to take advantage of the soft spot of Cornell’s zone. But Syracuse’s (9-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) late fourth quarter 3-point surge lifted it to a 78-71 win over Cornell (5-5, 0-0 Ivy League). Three of the Orange’s six 3-pointers against the Big Red came within the final four minutes of the game.

“They ended up hitting the ones that mattered,” Legette-Jack said postgame. “That’s what players do, they hit the ones that matter.”

Woolley started the game off strong, nailing two 3s and totaling eight points in the first quarter. But Syracuse struggled to break Cornell’s 2-3 zone throughout the opening frame. Despite having open looks from the mid-range and 3, the Orange weren’t hitting their shots, shooting 1-for-6 from the mid-range and 2-for-6 from 3.

“I don’t think it was really their defense that was not making us make shots,” Fair said. “We would take shots, we just weren’t making shots… I feel like our energy behind our shots is what made us miss them. Once we fixed that in the second half, we were successful.”

Syracuse’s offensive struggles spilled into the second quarter, going on two separate field goal draughts of two minutes. With two minutes until halftime and the Orange trailing 31-22, Fair showed signs of life that SU would eventually break out of its offensive drought.

The corner 3 is a kryptonite of 2-3 zones — especially Cornell’s because its two outside defenders down low constantly shifted to put pressure on the ball instead of defending the corner. However, the Orange hadn’t been able to capitalize until Fair knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3 from the right corner.

Despite showing a sign that SU was getting it together offensively, Fair did what is frowned upon against 2-3 zones on Syracuse’s ensuing offensive possession: settle for 3s five feet behind the arc.

“That first half, that was not us,” SU forward Alyssa Latham said. “Us playing Syracuse women’s basketball is what changed it up (in the second half).”

After trailing by eight at halftime, Syracuse responded well at the beginning of the third quarter, converting on each of its first three field goals. But then its first half tendencies relapsed.

On back-to-back possessions, Fair turned the ball over and missed an open 3. Then Saniaa Wilson turned the ball over followed by Fair missing another shot. Cornell capitalized on SU’s lackadaisical play, securing a 50-36 lead midway through the third.

The Orange responded with a 13-4 run to close the quarter, cutting their deficit down to five points. One minute into the fourth, Rice had an opportunity to make it a one possession game, but she missed an open 3 from the right corner. Her miss was SU’s 13th from behind the arc and her fourth.

Cornell responded with a bucket on the other end, extending its lead to six. But Syracuse continued to fight back, putting the game within a point after Fair knocked down two of the 16 free throws she made with four minutes remaining in the game.

SU forced Cornell forward Summer Parker-Hall to turn the ball over, then pushed the ball down the court. Rice cut from the right corner into the paint before passing the ball to Kyra Wood along the left baseline. With Cornell’s defense collapsed in the paint, Wood dished the ball to Fair behind the 3-point line. Fair sank the triple on a quick catch and shoot before the Big Red’s defense could recover, giving Syracuse its first lead since the first quarter.

After receiving an inbounds pass, Fair sprinted across the court and instantly penetrated the lane and Cornell’s defense followed her, leaving Rice open behind the arc on the right wing. Despite being 1-for-9 from the floor, Rice shot with confidence, swooshing the triple to give Syracuse a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

“I think those 3s came off all of the attention being on me once I was driving to the basket,” Fair said. “Once the attention was solely on me, it was easy to get the ball to the shooters.”

Following a SU defensive stop, Fair missed a floater before corralling the offensive rebound. Fair reset the possession at the top of the key before again penetrating the lane. Cornell’s defense once again followed suit, leaving Woolley wide open in the left corner. She made her fourth 3 of the game — resulting in a season-high 23rd point — putting the exclamation mark on the Orange’s comeback win.

“All three guards, we have trust in those guys,” Legette-Jack said.

Published on December 18, 2023 at 9:29 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon