Opponent Preview: What to know ahead of Northern Iowa

Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse took then-No. 20 Maryland to the brink in its last game. The Orange went into halftime holding a 38-35 lead, spurred by a 7-0 run late in the second quarter. Guard Georgia Woolley returned to the floor after missing the first two games with an injury, and led SU in points (21) and rebounds (eight).

Despite its early lead, Syracuse ultimately fell 83-81 in its first matchup against a Power Five program this season. Allie Kubek dropped a game-high 23 points off the bench, shooting an efficient 10-for-14 from the floor. Woolley’s strong debut along with four other SU players in double figures wasn’t enough to upset the Terrapins.

Next, the Orange venture to Las Vegas, NV, for a two-game slate against Northern Iowa and Iowa State. First, SU battles UNI, who is on a two-game skid and coming off an 11-point loss to Ball State.

Here’s everything you need to know about Northern Iowa (1-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley Conference) ahead of facing Syracuse (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) Friday afternoon:

All-time series

Friday is the first-ever matchup between SU and UNI.

The Panthers report

Northern Iowa is coming off a 23-10 season where it was bounced out by Nebraska in the second round of the 2023 Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Panthers head coach Tanya Warren is in her 17th season at the helm and hasn’t led UNI to a losing record since the 2008-09 season.

While facing lower-level Division I competition in the MVC, Northern Iowa is still a formidable nonconference foe for Syracuse. In 2022-23, the Panthers ranked 31st in the country in points per game with 74.6, according to HerHoopStats. They also had the 24th highest effective field goal percentage in the nation (51.3%) and shot 35.1% from 3-point range, the 34th-best mark.

So far this year, UNI has scored nearly 10 fewer points per game. UNI returns nine players from the previous year’s squad, including its top three leading scorers from last season — Grace Boffeli (16.1 points per game), Maya McDermott (14.7) and Emerson Green (11.4). The Panthers pose a threat from beyond the arc versus the Orange, making 11 3-pointers in their lone win of the season over Green Bay on Nov. 6. Northern Iowa isn’t afraid to shoot it from deep, attempting more than 20 3-point attempts per game.

How Syracuse beats Northern Iowa

The Panthers’ weak point is their defense, and Syracuse can exploit that Friday. According to HerHoopStats, UNI has allowed 78.7 points per game through its first three games, which ranks 322nd out of 360 D-I programs. Syracuse’s 84.3 points per game puts it at the 27th-highest scoring offense in the nation.

Woolley’s return makes the Orange tougher to guard. The defeat to then-No. 20 Maryland was a sneak peak. SU racked up 81 points despite a rare off-day from Dyaisha Fair, who finished 3-for-16 from the field and 3-for-12 beyond the arc.

The Orange have enough options offensively to garner a victory over the Panthers. In addition to Fair and Woolley, Alaina Rice and Alyssa Latham are each averaging double-digit point totals. Plus, Syracuse’s 48.3 percent clip from the floor ranks 29th in the country.

Stat to know: 22.5%

Northern Iowa has accumulated an offensive rebounding rate of 22.5 percent. On the other hand, Syracuse’s 42.8 percent offensive rebounding rate is the 19th-best nationally.

The Orange display a lot of length and size in their frontcourt, led by Latham and Izabel Varejão. Out of Latham’s team-leading 36 total rebounds, 16 are offensive. If Fair and the rest of the offense struggle to hit shots, SU’s bigs will clean up their shortcomings on the boards.

Player to watch: Grace Boffeli, forward, No. 42

Boffeli enters her junior year as the MVC Preseason Player of the Year and as a member of the All-Conference Preseason First Team. Boffeli is coming off a dominant 2022-23 campaign, averaging 16.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game — both team highs. She earned MVC All-Conference First Team honors and also made the MVC All-Tournament Team.

Boffeli has continued her award-winning play from her sophomore season. She leads the Panthers with 16.3 points per game and shot 11-for-17 from the floor in her last outing against Ball State. Latham and Varejão should have their hands full in the paint against Boffeli.