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After dropping two straight games, Syracuse bounced back to defeat Fairleigh Dickinson 77-58 Sunday. After the game, sophomore guard Sophie Burrows said the win embodied SU’s work in practice, despite its .500 record.

The Orange improved defensively against the Knights, allowing nearly 30 fewer points than they surrendered in their last three games. On offense, Syracuse had 11 different scorers and dominated in the paint, outscoring the Knights 40-6 from that area.

On Wednesday, SU welcomes UAlbany to the JMA Wireless Dome. The Great Danes advanced to the America East Tournament Semifinal last season and are undefeated through three games to start 2024-25.

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (2-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) faces UAlbany (3-0, 0-0 AEC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 6-0.

Last time they played …

Syracuse defeated UAlbany 87-64 on Dec. 20, 2022. The Great Danes shot nearly 50% from the field and led by two points at halftime, but the Orange surged in the second half. SU outscored UAlbany 55-30 in the final 20 minutes, totaling 30 points in the fourth quarter alone. Dyaisha Fair finished with a team-high 26 points while Asia Strong added 18.

The Great Danes report

UAlbany is coming off its best season under head coach Colleen Mullen, finishing with a 25-7 record. This season, the Great Danes have held opponents to just 53 points on average.

This is mainly due to Mullen’s slow play style on offense, which holds opponents to a low scoring rate. UAlbany averages just 67.3 possessions per 40 minutes, per Her Hoop Stats, which ranks in the bottom 40 of Division I.

The Great Danes are led by Kayla Cooper, who averages 21 points per game this season. However, UAlbany lacks outside threats. On the perimeter, it’s knocked down just 12 3s in three games, accounting for just 19% of its offense. Though the Great Danes are not very effective from deep, they partly make up for it by being strong free-throw shooters.

Ilana Zahavy | Design Editor

How SU beats UAlbany

Syracuse has averaged just 13 second-quarter points in its last two games. The early struggles caused SU to fall behind and eventually lose to No. 11 Maryland on Nov. 13, but a strong second half helped it prevail over FDU.

With the Great Danes’ slow pace of play, the Orange can’t rely on a second-half surge. SU found success in the paint versus the Knights and will need Kyra Wood and Izabel Varejão to lead the interior attack again.

Syracuse’s forwards will also need to improve on cleaning the glass. SU ranks 194th in the country in defensive boards per game, while UAlbany’s 35.3 offensive rebounding rate sits in the bottom third of the nation.

Stat to know: 87.2%

The Great Danes’ 87.2% success rate at the free-throw line ranks third out of all Division I programs. Only Saint Joseph’s, which SU lost to 84-70 on Nov. 10, and McNeese are shooting at a better clip. Cooper leads UAlbany at the charity stripe, making 17-for-19 attempts.

UAlbany’s strong shooting at the line has propelled them to success. In their three wins, the Great Danes have defeated opponents by an average margin of nine points. In double-digit victories over Rhode Island and Sacred Heat, UAlbany knocked down over 10 shots at the foul line.

Player to watch: Kayla Cooper, forward, No. 20

After leading the Great Danes in scoring each of the last two seasons, Cooper returns as their No. 1 option. This season, the Frederick, Maryland, native is off to a fast start and is shooting the ball at a career-high 59% from the field.

After tallying 17 points against Rhode Island in the season opener, Cooper’s scoring numbers have continued to rise. Versus Sacred Heart, she dropped 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting while also swiping a team-high eight steals.

Published on November 19, 2024 at 9:42 pm

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