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Syracuse women’s basketball starts its regular season Tuesday with a nonconference matchup against Niagara. The Orange boast a new-look roster without star point guard Dyaisha Fair, who graduated in the spring. In SU’s 90-50 exhibition win , it displayed a balanced offense, with 10 different players scoring.

Kyra Wood, who finished second on the Orange in field goal percentage last season, tallied a team-high 16 points and 14 rebounds, while freshmen Keira Scott and Shy Hawkins each added 16 points.

Three of SU’s top four scorers departed after last season, which ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Now, Syracuse welcomes the Purple Eagles to the JMA Wireless Dome. Niagara finished as runners-up in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 2023-24 and made a Women’s National Invitational Tournament appearance.

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) takes on Niagara (0-0, 0-0 MAAC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 11-4.

Last time they played …

Syracuse defeated Niagara 94-45 on Dec. 17, 2018. The Orange shot 51.4% from the field, while Tiana Mangakahia recorded a season-high 15 assists and Miranda Drummond tallied a game-high 19 points. The Orange never trailed in the game, and got out to a 52-25 halftime advantage. SU forced Niagara to turn the ball over 35 times and went on a 28-0 run during the second half to secure the victory.

The Purple Eagles report

Niagara is coming off its best season under head coach Jada Pierce, finishing with a 21-14 record. The Purple Eagles led Division I with 15.1 steals per game and slotted in at eighth in offensive rebounds per game. Niagara’s season culminated in a second round exit in the WNIT.

Though their aggressive style of play led it to success at times, the Purple Eagles struggled to shoot the ball. Niagara’s 38% field goal percentage ranked 273rd in D-I and it shot below 30% from deep.

This season, Niagara returns just two of its top five scorers from 2023-24. Though its top scorer, Aaliyah Parker, is back. She was also a defensive spark last season, ranking 11th in the country in steals.

Sophia Burke | Design Editor

How Syracuse beats Niagara

SU excelled on the offensive boards last season with 16.3 per game, ranking fifth in the nation. It returns most of its front court depth and got off to a strong start in the tuneup against Daemen, snagging 21 rebounds off the offensive glass.

The Orange were middle of the pack in defensive rebounding, and that’s where Niagara can take advantage. Amelia Strong returns to the Purple Eagles after leading them with 104 offensive rebounds last season.

After not playing against Daemen, Georgia Woolley, SU’s second-leading scorer a year ago, is expected to be the main scoring option. Stopping Woolley and Wood will be a difficult task for the Purple Eagles, especially if Syracuse continues to receive a diverse scoring attack.

Stat to know: 754

Niagara fouled opponents 754 times last season, more than any other D-I program. Due to their knack for fouling, the Purple Eagles often sent opponents to the charity stripe and they allowed 545 points off free throws, the most in the country.

Syracuse finished 124th in the country in free throw percentage last season with a 73% clip. The Orange shot just 56% at the free-throw line against Daemen, and SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said shooting would be a point of emphasis as it prepared for the Purple Eagles.

Player to watch: Aaliyah Parker, guard, No. 5

Parker led Niagara in points, steals and blocks last season. In her third season with the Purple Eagles, she averaged 12.2 points per game and was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.

Now a senior, Parker has been one of the Purple Eagles’ top scoring options since she joined the program. Though this is the first season Parker will not be playing alongside her older sister, Angel Parker, who also ranked top-two in scoring on Niagara’s offense each of the last three seasons.

Published on November 4, 2024 at 10:01 pm

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