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It was a strange sight for Syracuse. When its starting lineup was announced before tip-off against Coppin State, point guard Dyaisha Fair’s name wasn’t called. It was the first time since Jan. 29, 2020, that Fair hadn’t started a game and the first time since transferring to SU.

Kennedi Perkins started in Fair’s place. Once Fair entered the game in the second quarter, Syracuse was up 17-10.

Fair’s absence in the first quarter was due to a coaching decision, according to head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. But Syracuse (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) still defeated Coppin State (1-3, 0-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 80-47 led by Fair’s team-high 16 points. With Fair initially on the bench, Izabel Varejão and Alaina Rice helped carry the load offensively, combining for 28 points. Varejão’s size overwhelmed the Eagles, scoring a season-high 13 points. The Orange outscored the Eagles 38-18 in the paint.

“I’m so grateful about how we’re growing as a team and how you’re receiving the messages and the lessons they’re being taught,” Legette-Jack said postgame.

Coppin State opened the game in an active 1-3-1 zone, preventing SU from getting any dribble penetration. Without Fair on the floor, Syracuse’s guards failed to get into the lane, causing it to attack from the outside. After two straight possessions ending in misses from Rice, Sophie Burrows canned a 3-pointer from the right wing. The Orange were 6-for-15 from 3 in the first half, eventually forcing Coppin State into a man-to-man defense.

To counteract the Eagles, the Orange pushed the ball up the floor, using their size to their advantage. The combination of Burrows and Varejão propelled SU to a 15-2 advantage.

After Burrows missed a 3-pointer, Varejão skied for the rebound down low, converting inside. On Syracuse’s next possession, Burrows drilled a 3 from the top of the key.

“I’ve got the support of the whole team’s coaching staff behind me so…they have faith in me to shoot it. That obviously translates into my confidence,” Burrows said.

Legette-Jack said Syracuse played well without Fair in the first quarter due to the performances of guards Lexi McNabb and Perkins. But it was Varejão who did a lot of the heavy lifting on offense.

The Orange constantly fed Varejão in the post. The Michigan transfer used her 6-foot-4 frame to rise up over defenders for mid-range jumpers. Through Syracuse’s first two games, Varejão scored a combined nine points, going 4-for-9 from the field. In the first half against Coppin State, Varejão had 11 on 5-for-6 shooting.

Legette-Jack called Varejão a “pro” postgame. Her presence helped slow things down with Fair out, playing a more deliberate style.

“We’re very lucky to have her,” Legette-Jack said of Varejão. “She is smart. She’s a post player that really can play with her back to the basket and score down low.”

With Syracuse leading 29-12, Varejão faced up her defender in the high post, seeing a cutting Rice in the lane who finished to give the Orange a 19-point lead — its largest up until that point. Rice returned the favor, driving the lane before feeding Varejão, who found herself wide-open under the basket.

With Syracuse leading 33-18, Varejão received the ball in the high post. Rice cut baseline firing a pass to the guard. With the defense rotating, Rice dished the ball to Lexi McNabb in the corner, who drained a 3-pointer. Varejão said once Syracuse started knocking down 3-pointers it created openings inside, which the Orange punished, knocking down a season-high 10 3s.

Varejão’s presence down low made up for Fair’s absence in the first quarter. Once the point guard entered the game in the second quarter, she wasn’t her aggressive self, only attempting to get others involved. Fair skipped through the lane after a screen from Varejão, hitting Perkins for an open 3-pointer. Perkins missed, but Fair repeated the same action the next possession and Perkins drained it, putting SU up 24-12 early in the second.

Fair misfired on her opening two shots. Her first make came on a step-back 3 with 40 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The third quarter was when Fair heated up, scoring 13 of Syracuse’s 22 points. Fair shot 5-for-11 from the floor, including four 3-pointers. Fair’s lack of production in the first half didn’t matter, as her supporting cast shouldered the load.

“We’re going to play our way,” Legette-Jack said. “We’re going to dictate our way and if it doesn’t work out, at least we’re gonna look in the mirror and say, we didn’t change who we were.”

After the break, Fair found her rhythm. Rice pushed the ball in transition ahead to Burrows along the right wing. She found Fair, who knocked down the jumper with ease. With Syracuse up 22, Far pickpocketed Coppin State’s Mossi Staples for an easy breakaway layup. Fair flashed open at the top of the key with the defense collapsing on Kyra Wood down low.

With time winding down in the quarter, Rice passed to Burrows along the sideline. Fair sprinted up toward Burrows who fed the hot hand. With no hesitation, Fair launched another triple — her fourth of the quarter — for her 10th point in a less than three-minute stretch to put Syracuse up 61-35.

Although Fair and Varejão both had quiet fourth quarters, Syracuse didn’t need them to put up monster numbers. The closest the Eagles got was within 21 with 6:54 remaining, but SU responded with five straight points on its way to a third consecutive comfortable victory.

“They were throwing the whole team at (Fair) and we need to work through that because maybe Maryland’s going to try and two or three people at her,” Legette-Jack said. “(Coppin State) didn’t care about winning the game in my opinion, I think they just cared about (stopping Fair). When she had the ball the whole team lost themselves.”

Published on November 15, 2023 at 9:13 pm

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