What know about SU’s first conference opponent Wake Forest

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Through Syracuse’s first 10 games of the season, it has played two Big Ten opponents and eight weaker, non-Power Five foes, cruising to an 8-2 record. But on Sunday, a few days before the holiday break, the Orange will take on their first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in Wake Forest. 

Last season, SU struggled immensely against ACC teams, posting a measly 4-14 record and losing the last six conference games of the year. Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the Orange will try to play the same way they have played, but she also acknowledged the challenge their conference opponents will be.

“We’re going to try to do our same thing but they’re bigger and they’re stronger,” Legette-Jack said of SU’s ACC foes.

With Syracuse (8-2) opening conference play at the Dome tomorrow, here’s everything you need to know about Wake Forest (8-3).

All-time series:

Syracuse leads 7-3.

Last time they played:

When the Orange traveled down to Winston-Salem to take on the Demon Deacons on Feb. 24, both teams were struggling to get to .500. While Wake Forest eventually qualified for the WNIT last season, it finished with the same conference record as SU.

Teisha Hyman led all scorers with 26 points, going 10-of-20 from the field, but Syracuse led for all of 13 seconds in the first quarter. The Demon Deacons controlled the lead for almost the entirety of the game, converting nearly half of their shots from the field and notching 13 more rebounds than the Orange. Wake Forest’s Christina Morra scored 21 points and collected a team-best 15 boards.

The Demon Deacons report:

Wake Forest is undergoing its first season with head coach Megan Gebbia after previous head coach Jennifer Hoover accepted an assistant role at Kentucky in the offseason. Gebbia came to Winston-Salem after a decade where she led American to the NCAA Tournament four times.

So far this season, Gebbia possesses a squad that has been one of the weakest on offense (14th in scoring in the ACC) and one of the best on defense (5th in scoring in the ACC). Wake Forest allows a field-goal percentage of 35.9, a mark that is the 43rd best in the nation. While the Demon Deacons struggle at stopping teams from shooting 3-pointers, they allow a 3-point rate of 29.4% per Her Hoops Stats. 

Even as the Demon Deacons struggle to score more than 70 points in most games, they still have Jewel Spear, who averages over 16 points per game. 

How Syracuse beats Wake Forest:

In last season’s matchup at Wake Forest, Syracuse only had five scorers for the entire game — Hyman, Christianna Carr, Alaysia Styles, Chrislyn Carr and Najé Murray. This year’s edition of the Orange has shown that it is capable of distributing points to everyone on the team. Against an albeit vastly inferior Wagner squad, every SU player scored.

Having the backend of the roster getting involved will be vital, and not just when it comes to scoring. Early on against the Seahawks, Dariauna Lewis was crashing the boards and dominated the paint. When Saniaa Wilson came in to replace Lewis, she did the same thing. If the Orange can control the paint with their entire roster, then a victory against the Demon Deacons can be attainable.

Stat to know: 13

While Wake Forest is apt at stopping teams from scoring, it doesn’t come from turnovers. The Demon Deacons’ opponents average 14 turnovers per game, one of the worst marks for a defensive team in the country. This shouldn’t be too much of an issue for Syracuse as it is 137th in turnovers per game, putting them in the middle of the pack. Though the Orange did allow 19 turnovers to an abysmal Wagner team, so it’s certainly something to be aware of. 

Player to watch, Jewel Spear, guard, No. 24:

Spear opened her third season with the Demon Deacons by scoring 23 points in back-to-back games. While she struggled against Power Five opponents like Missouri and Virginia, she had responded by dropping 30 points against Coastal Carolina and most recently 21 points against Longwood. Though a 5-foot-10 guard, Spear has also shown some rebounding capabilities, notching 10 boards against Minnesota.