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Before Syracuse’s first game at the Emerald Coast Classic, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack met with her former teammate Roxi Nurse McNabb — the wife of former Syracuse and NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb and mother of current SU player, Lexi McNabb.

Legette-Jack said Roxi urged her to give more minutes to Journey Thompson, an Arizona State transfer who had been riding the bench to start the season. She compared Thompson to Legette-Jack, who has her No. 33 hanging in the JMA Wireless Dome’s rafters.

“Journey is a mini Felisha,” Roxi said to Legette-Jack.

Legette-Jack took Roxi’s message to heart and it paid off. In Syracuse’s (3-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) 82-59 victory over Missouri (5-3, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) to kick off the Emerald Coast Classic, Thompson was the first player off SU’s bench. She made the most of her opportunity, playing a season-high 21 minutes and scoring 14 points — the second most in her college career — on 70% shooting.

“Everybody on our team earned a scholarship. And everyone deserves an opportunity. The ones that get the opportunity are the ones that earn it in practice,” Legette-Jack said.

To start the season, SU’s offense was largely dictated by three players — Georgia Woolley, Sophie Burrows and Kyra Wood. The trio provided much of the Orange’s scoring, all averaging double-digits entering SU’s bout with the Tigers.

Because of their success, Thompson rarely saw the court. The junior logged 20 minutes against then-No. 11 Maryland, the only time she’s eclipsed 10 all season. Thompson only scored 13 total points in her rare playing time, pushing her to the bottom of the Orange’s reserves behind Angelica Velez, Olivia Schmitt and Keira Scott.

She was immediately thrust into action against Missouri. Just over three minutes in, Thompson was SU’s first substitution and instantly made her mark. With Syracuse trailing 10-7, Woolley stole the ball from Ashton Judd. The Australian dished the ball forward to Thompson, who converted the easy layup to cut SU’s deficit to one.

Just a minute later, Thompson got involved again. Schmitt, who started for the first time, drove to the basket but was tied up by Laniah Randle and Tilda Sjökvist. Thompson, open at the free-throw line, called for the ball, cut up the lane, stepped back and drained a short floater.

Despite going three minutes without a bucket, Thompson equalized the game at 20 with 1:55 left in the first. Mizzou’s Abbey Schreacke drilled a field goal, and Woolley raced down the court, looking to get the points right back.

With everyone’s attention on SU’s leading scorer, Thompson crept behind two Tigers defenders. Woolley bounced a no-look pass between them, which Thompson easily laid in for another two points.

After Thompson committed a foul moments later, one of her four in the contest, Legette-Jack subbed her out. Though Legette-Jack mentioned she needed to stop reaching for the ball, the head coach lauded Thompson’s communication, which directly led to her final two buckets of the quarter.

“I’m just loving how our bigs are communicating with each other. I didn’t know whether Journey was out there or Saniaa (Wilson) was out there,” Legette-Jack said. “We really worked on some things and they got that, and Journey was the (beneficiary) of a few points from that.”

Thompson didn’t return until the 7:36 mark of the second quarter when Syracuse’s lead ballooned to 34-24. SU was held scoreless for the next three minutes before Thompson ended the drought.

Wilson pulled down the rebound after Burrows misfired a triple, and the ball was passed around to Burrows again. Thompson faked a screen, drawing two defenders the wrong way. Burrows instead lobbed a pass to her, and she drilled a mid-range jumper in open space.

But Thompson wasn’t done. Just moments later, Judd whiffed from the corner, and Woolley again sped down the right side. This time, though, Thompson motored to the basket as well. Woolley delivered a pass from half-court. Thompson caught it and stopped in her tracks to avoid Missouri’s Hannah Linthacum, leading to an easy layup.

Thompson’s quick thinking and crafty maneuvers haven’t gone unnoticed by her teammates. Izabel Varejão, Thompson’s roommate, pointed it out before the season.

“She’s amazing, and I feel like she brings a different side of basketball to us,” Varejão said. “She’s very tough, and it’s very nice to play with and against her on the court.”

The ASU transfer finished the first half with 10 points, already her season-high.

Though her second half wasn’t as gaudy, Thompson played her part. She subbed in with 6:42 remaining in the third, immediately grabbing a board off a missed jumper by Randle. Two minutes later, she cashed in again.

Burrows received the ball after a missed free throw by Grace Slaughter. She dribbled into the paint and was marked by Linthacum and Hilke Feldrappe. Mizzou left the space under the rim wide open and Thompson took advantage. She streaked forward before Burrows hit her in stride for the score.

That was her only action of the quarter, as Legette-Jack swapped her with Woolley soon after. With Syracuse up big, Thompson mainly sat for the final 10 minutes, but still canned a jumper with 7:32 remaining.

Though Woolley, Burrows and Wood again dominated, scoring over 15 points each, it was Thompson’s performance that stood out to Legette-Jack. While it took a few games to learn how the Orange operate, Thompson appears to be a viable option behind SU’s big three in the future.

“She’s now calmed down and she really trusts the process we’re in,” Legette-Jack said. “There’s so much more room for her to even get better. She’s tough as nails.”

Published on November 25, 2024 at 10:38 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99