The undefeated start to Syracuse’s season hasn’t answered whether the Orange will finally make the NCAA tournament again this year. But with a strong presence in the paint and sharp shooting from the arc, Syracuse has displayed the talent it needs to get there.

Beneath the six straight wins, though, the Orange hasn’t been tested nearly as much as it will during the year. For now, the lead up to conference play has been a cakewalk, and it’s why senior Iasia Hemingway said potential success won’t be determined right now.

‘I don’t think it’s going to be after the first game, how we measure our success,’ Hemingway said. ‘Preseason, just how we play before Big East play, and we just put all the games together and see what we have to work on. But game by game, we’re going to look at little minor stuff to get better at.’

The Orange has played six games so far this season, and each one has ended in a blowout in Syracuse’s favor. SU has beaten its opponents by an average of 29.7 points. But at a time when the teams SU is playing haven’t matched the level of play in the Big East, head coach Quentin Hillsman said his team is still winning because of how well it is playing rather than the lackluster performances from its opposition.

And there’s sufficient evidence to back up Hillsman’s belief. Syracuse will try to keep up its strong play as it travels across the country to play in the Hukilau Invitational in Laie, Hawaii. SU (6-0) plays Friday against Arizona (5-0) at 9 p.m. and takes on Brigham Young (5-2) on Saturday at 7 p.m.

‘We have to win games,’ sophomore guard Rachel Coffey said. ‘We have to go into every game like we’re trying to win it. The big thing is winning Big East games, winning conference games, so that’s what we have to do.’

Nearly every facet of the Orange’s game has been strong. Junior center Kayla Alexander has been a dominant force in the low post, averaging 20.2 points per game, including a 33-point performance against Binghamton. SU’s shooters have provided a spark from the perimeter, with Hemingway scoring nearly 15 points per game and junior guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas adding close to 13 of her own.

And on the other end of the floor, Syracuse’s new defensive pressure system has given other teams fits, forcing a total of 128 turnovers, including 70 SU steals.

Perhaps the only hint of instability has come from the point guard position, where Hillsman is using a ‘point guard by committee’ scenario. Junior transfer Shanee Williams, sophomore La’Shay Taft and Coffey have all seen time at the position. Combined, the three are averaging about 13 points per game.

Hillsman acknowledged that Taft might’ve been playing with some nerves during SU’s season-opener against Long Beach State. But Hillsman has the advantage of having two players who are capable of coming off the bench and elevating the position.

‘You take a player who was your two-guard and put them at your point guard, I think it really changes everything,’ Hillsman said. ‘I thought that Rachel came in and did a really good job for us. Obviously, those two are going to be sharing the duties and play tough.’

In comparison to last season’s team, which lost in the quarterfinals of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, Hemingway said this year’s squad is fairly similar. With the exception of Erica Morrow and Tasha Harris, all of SU’s key contributors returned.

And with Syracuse’s guards shooting as well as they have been, defenses have to pay extra attention to them, spreading the floor and opening the inside for Alexander. It’s been the formula Hillsman said he will emphasize all season.

Hemingway said it works perfectly. Six games into the season, Syracuse’s record reflects that.

‘It’s a lot of similarities,’ Hemingway said. ‘ … I feel that with Carmen and Lacie on the perimeter, because they know the system, they’re going to do what they have to do. And I think it’s going to open it up for me and Kayla a lot on the inside.’

cjiseman@syr.edu

 

Published on November 30, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Chris: cjiseman@syr.edu | @chris_iseman