Opponent Preview: What to know about Miami in SU’s final home game
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After earning its first ranked win over then-No. 14 ranked North Carolina on Feb. 9, Syracuse had a chance to string two more ranked victories over Notre Dame and Florida State.
Against the Fighting Irish, SU opened the game hot and embarked on a 17-5 run going into the final period, but ND’s frontcourt duo of Maddy Westbeld and Kylee Watson proved too much for the Orange to handle.
In its next game against Florida State, Syracuse trailed the Seminoles for most of the contest before the Orange finally caught up mid-way through the final quarter. Unable to stop FSU’s forward-guard tandem of Ta’Niya Latson and Makayla Timpson, Syracuse couldn’t convert offensively down the stretch to reduce the deficit, resulting in a 78-65 loss.
This Sunday, Syracuse will play in its final home game of the regular season on senior day against Miami. The Hurricanes are coming off of a narrow five-point win over Clemson led by guard Haley Cavinder 17-point performance.
According to ESPN Bracketology, Miami is a No. 9 seed while Syracuse is still a part of the first four out. A win would boost SU’s chances at moving up into the first four in and give them momentum heading into its final game of the season against lowly Pittsburgh.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Hurricanes (17-9, 10-5 Atlantic Coast):
All-Time Series
Miami leads 20-12
Last Time They Played
Around early February last season, Syracuse fell to Miami 71-65. The loss set Syracuse back to 2-8 in conference play.
After jumping out to an early lead, the Hurricanes led after the first quarter before an SU comeback in the second period helped it to a 37-31 advantage to close out the first half. Both sides traded baskets throughout the final 20 minutes and the Orange trailed by just three with less than half a minute to play in the final quarter. But, ultimately, Miami held on, hitting timely shots from the free-throw line down the stretch.
Teisha Hyman and Naje Murray led Syracuse in scoring with 15 points apiece before Murray was ejected in the third quarter. Christianna Carr tacked on 14 of her own as well. For the Hurricanes, ex-Syracuse forward Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi produced 14 points in the victory.
The Hurricane Report
Before its win against Clemson, Miami fell to ACC leaders, Duke. But throughout the season, the Hurricanes have held their own against some of the conference’s best, securing wins against Florida State and North Carolina.
Cavinder and graduate student Destiny Harden control most of the offensive sets for a Miami team that doesn’t really have much weakness scoring the ball. Cavinder, Harden, and guard Ja’Leah Williams are all capable drivers, outside shooters and can make the occasional mid-range jumper when forced to.
In the frontcourt, Lazaria Spearman and Lola Pendande both shoot over 48% from the field, and can make the easy layup as well as influence the rebounding game with their height and length. Keep an eye out also for freshman forward Kyla Oldacre. Despite only averaging 3.5 points per game, Oldacre’s size and strength isn’t something the Syracuse forwards are used to and could serve as a mismatch down low in the few minutes she sees.
How Syracuse Beats Miami
During the final quarter in Syracuse’s game against Florida State, the Seminoles concentrated on stopping Dyaisha Fair, game-planning around her, consistently putting either Latson or Sara Bejedi in her grill. If Fair called for a screen or beat one of the two, she was immediately met with a double-team or the much bigger Timpson in the paint.
Like it has been all season, Fair needs to maintain above 15 points at least if the Orange want any chance at winning against the Hurricanes. Offensively, as of late, Syracuse has received an outside shooting spark from both Georgia Woolley and Alaina Rice who also need to keep up their recent slew of impressive performances.
Dariauna Lewis, who recorded her ninth double-double of the season against North Carolina, impressed against both Notre Dame and Florida State. If she can continue to produce offensively, while containing Spearman and Pendande on the other end, Syracuse has a good chance of beating Miami in its final home game.
Stat To Know: 2.5
The Hurricanes boast four players that are 6-foot-4 and over but despite its size, they record just 2.5 blocks per game, which is 244th best nationally, per Her Hoop Stats. This is positive news for the Orange who, without any premier shot blockers on the opposing team, will come into the matchup far more confident to venture deeper inside the paint, among the trees.
With Dariauna Lewis finding success in her mid-range jumper as of late and Saniaa Wilson improving her footwork around the basket, Syracuse’s bigs could have a field day down low. As for the Orange backcourt, Fair, Woolley and Rice are all capable drivers. When her shot isn’t working, Fair often opts for a running floater — a shot that was often disturbed by ND’s Westbeld and Watson. That won’t look like an issue come Sunday.
Player To Watch: Haley Cavinder, Guard, No. 14
Averaging a team-high 12.8 points per game in her first season with the Hurricanes, Cavinder is a nifty playmaker, capable of stretching the floor for a long range look.
Deadly off the screen, often looking for her big rolling to the basket, Cavinder has a deep locker of offensive tools. If Syracuse can shut down her creativity by pressuring her near the perimeter before she receives help, the Orange can force turnovers, run-outs and transition buckets like they’ve favored all season long.
