GREENSBORO, N.C. — Taylor Ford sat in a chair on the bench staring into the distance with only associate athletic trainer Karen McKinney at her side. Ford was the last player on the court for Syracuse. About 15 minutes later, she hobbled into the locker room on crutches — the only solemn face in an otherwise cheery group.

Ford had come off the bench to hit three 3-pointers in a row for Syracuse and turn a two-point lead in the third quarter into a nine-point cushion. She finished with 10 points in 13 minutes. But when she exited the game with 5:08 left after rolling her right ankle, she couldn’t make it back to the bench under her own power. The Orange went on to beat No. 6 seed North Carolina State 81-60 on Friday night at the Greensboro Coliseum, but didn’t have Ford to seal the deal.

After the game, Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman was unsure of Ford’s status for No. 3 seed Syracuse’s (24-6, 13-3 Atlantic Coast) game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against No. 2 seed Louisville (25-6, 15-1) in the ACC tournament semifinal. But with less than a day for Ford to get healthy, the Orange has to prepare to be without her.

“She rolled her ankle so you never know how those things will react,” Hillsman said. “But Karen is amazing at getting our kids back on the floor and if she’s able to play, she will. If she’s not, we’re going to do what we always do. We’re going to go next man up.”

SU center Bria Day tumbled to the ground defending a shot and landed on Ford’s right ankle. Ford fell under the basket and sat on the ground for a few seconds before putting her hand on the basket stanchion to help her stand up. She hopped up and down on her left leg. Each time she tried putting weight on her right foot, she recoiled in pain, biting her lip, closing her eyes and letting out audible gasps.

With assistant coach Cedric Solice under her right arm and McKinney on her left, Ford slowly made her way to the end of the bench.

 

Taylor Ford elevates her right ankle in the locker room after rolling it during Syracuse’s win over N.C. State on Friday night. Evan Jenkins | Staff Photographer

 

“It changes us tremendously,” SU guard Cornelia Fondren said of the potential loss of Ford. “… You can tell when we’re missing one person.

“If she’s not here then we’re going to miss a part of something. Her coming off the bench. Her minutes. Her points that she had today was amazing. Back-to-back 3s. We need that.”

Ford has shown the ability to be a spark off the bench for SU. In the team’s biggest win of the season against then-No. 10 Florida State, she hit five 3-pointers.

But the senior forward has also battled a back injury all season that has limited her time, only averaging 11.7 minutes and 3.6 points a game, her lowest numbers since her freshman season.

Without Ford, the team will turn to Isabella Slim, who starts, but only averages 12 minutes a game and Fondren, the backup point guard who plays every position except center, Fondren said. Forward Julia Chandler, who didn’t play Friday, and guard Brianna Butler could also see time at the four position, Fondren added.

“We have a variety of people that can play the four,” Fondren said. “It’s not just a particular person. We can get the job done.”

Depth was one of the first topics that Hillsman discussed at the team’s media day before the season. He says he has seven or eight starters and pegged Ford as the sixth or seventh.

If Ford can’t play on Saturday, though, the Orange will likely have to play more than just its “starters” and dip into the reserves.

“Any given day anyone can step up for us,” Butler said.

Published on March 5, 2016 at 2:18 am

Contact Jon: jrmettus@syr.edu | @jmettus