Observations from SU’s season-opening win over Lafayette: No Woolley, rebounding dominance

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Syracuse entered the second year of the Felisha Legette-Jack era with its second-ever game against Lafayette. On paper, the Leopards appeared to be an easy opening game for the Orange.

Lafayette was one of the worst scoring and rebounding teams in the country in 2022-23, averaging 54.4 points per game (22nd-worst in Division I) and a 45.1% rebounding rate (27th-worst). And Tuesday evening, the Leopards didn’t surprise anyone.

The Orange got off to a slow start, starting 1-10 from the field, but once they got into a rhythm, though, they never looked back. SU outscored Lafayette 20-7 in the second quarter, taking a convincing 40-21 lead into halftime. It never came close to relinquishing its advantage, as Dyaisha Fair’s 17 points led the way in a 75-41 win over the Leopards.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s 34-point season-opening victory over Lafayette:

Life without Woolley

Georgia Woolley, Syracuse’s second-leading scorer last year (12.9 points per game) was ruled out prior to tip-off, per Syracuse Athletics. The junior guard was warming up before the game, shooting a few 3-pointers and participating in layup lines, though it appears she’s still not 100%. Her injury is unknown.

In her place, freshman and fellow Australian Sophie Burrows filled the shooting guard role. During the Oct. 31 exhibition contest against The College of Saint Rose, Burrows caught fire. She finished with a team-high 20 points (tied with Fair) and knocked down 6-of-9 3-pointers. Yet, against the Leopards, she struggled to replicate her performance.

After the Orange started 0-for-5 from the floor, Fair hauled in an offensive rebound off an Izabel Varejão missed 3. Fair swung it to Burrows deep along the left wing. The freshman pulled from deep, nailing the 3-pointer for the game’s first points. But from there, Burrows finished the first half 1-for-6 from the floor and 1-for-4 from deep.

Burrows started to settle in during the second half, opening it with a 3-pointer from the right wing a little over two minutes in. After spending time on the bench for Kenndi Perkins and Lexi McNabb, Burrows committed an errant pass near the end of the third quarter for a turnover. She finished 4-for-12 from the floor with 10 points and two turnovers.

In Woolley’s absence the Orange can’t afford a similar lack of production from the shooting guard spot against heightened competition.

Glass cleaners

Lafayette struggled with rebounding last season. From the get-go Tuesday evening, it didn’t show much improvement on the glass. During SU’s first possession, Burrows secured an offensive board off a missed 3-pointer from Fair. Then, Fair grabbed two straight offensive rebounds which came off consecutive misses from the point guard.

Near the end of the first quarter Kyra Wood muscled her way past Lafayette’s Kayla Drummond to rebound a Burrows missed a 3-pointer. Wood converted the ensuing put-back, giving Syracuse a 15-9 lead, forcing a timeout from Leopards’ head coach Kia Damon-Olson.

Through the opening quarter of play, the Orange led the Leopards 8-0 in offensive rebounds. At the end of the half, they led Lafayette 11-3 in that department, while also doubling its total rebounds (28-14).

It was much of the same story in the second half, out-rebounding the Leopards 30-13. Syracuse utilized its length with its frontcourt of Alyssa Latham, Varejão and Wood, while also receiving assistance from Fair and Rice, who both finished with 11 rebounds..

SU finished the evening out-rebounding the Leopards 58-27, and 25-6 on the offensive glass.

Varejão gets the start

Varejão, a graduate transfer from Michigan, earned the starting nod on opening night, playing ahead of Wood as the starting center. The 6-foot-4 Varejão only recorded two points and just two rebounds in the first half.

At the same time, she showed some flashes of her potential as a versatile stretch five. With 8:22 left in the second quarter, Varejão backed down Lafayette’s Emma Shields on the right block. Varejão spun to the right, maneuvering by Shields, and spotted Rice cutting towards the paint from along the baseline. She fed the wide-open Rice for an easy lay-in, increasing the Orange’s lead to 26-14.

A few possessions later, Varejão got a defensive rebound and hit Rice with an outlet pass. The guard drove inside the paint and blew an open layup, but she corralled the offensive rebound. Rice then found an open Varejão on the other end for an open layup.

Lafayette ran its offense with nearly one-minute remaining in the first half. Abby Antognoli cut toward the basket coming off a ball screen from Kay Donahue. Varejão read the play, moving from the left block toward the center of the paint. On Antognoli’s shot, Varejão skied up for the rejection. Despite finishing with just three points on 1-of-5 shooting, Varejão showed promise from the center position.

Leopards can’t buy a bucket

Lafayette couldn’t get out of an offensive slog that went from start to finish. The Leopards closed the season-opener 16-for-54 from the field, shooting just 29.6% from the field.

Even on its open looks, Lafayette couldn’t come through. Early in the third quarter, Antognoli found herself wide-open at the top of the key. Her shot attempt missed and Fair pulled in the rebound. As Fair went upcourt, the Leopards’ Halee Smith made the steal. Smith immediately passed to Antognoli, who was open again, but this time for a mid-range try, but missed her attempt.

In desperation mode with time expiring in the third quarter, Lafayette searched for a positive play to end the quarter. Antognoli held the ball at the top of the key, sending a feed to Donahue at the left wing. At the same time, Kennedi Perkins ran in between the two, jumping the passing lane and swiping Antognoli’s pass. Perkins nailed a two-point jumper in transition with two seconds left on the clock, giving SU a 66-30 lead through three quarters.

When the Orange had majority bench players checked in during the fourth quarter, Lafayette still failed to break its cold streak. It’s final shot attempt from Donahue rattled around the rim and spun out of play, a fitting end to a dismal shooting performance.