All season long, Quentin Hillsman has preached defense. It’s been the head coach’s primary point of emphasis. Play defense, force turnovers, and the offense will come naturally.

It’s led to success all around. The Orange ranks seventh in the nation with 13.1 steals per game. It’s powered through much of its schedule with a swarming defense and up-tempo offense, seldom playing close games.

On Saturday, SU’s turnover-forcing defense was as good as it’s been all year.

“As a coach who likes to press, you look at every opportunity for the press,” Hillsman said. “It’s funny because you don’t want to turn the ball over, but obviously when you turn the ball over and you get into your press it helps you.”

Syracuse (18-3, 6-2 Big East) came up with 22 steals in its 75-59 win over Providence (6-15, 1-7) in front of 994 at the Carrier Dome on Saturday. In the first half alone the Orange nearly matched its season average with 13 steals. Rachel Coffey had four in the first half and five overall. Carmen Tyson-Thomas grabbed three more steals herself after a pair in the first half. In all, the swarming SU defense forced the Friars into 27 turnovers—17 of which came in the decisive first half.

Syracuse blew out Seton Hall on Wednesday with Tyson-Thomas sidelined after having a tooth pulled. Brittney Sykes filled in fine and the defense was again great, but the difference that Tyson-Thomas makes was evident against the Friars.

Less than eight minutes into the game the Orange set up its press after a pair of free throws. Coffey and Tyson-Thomas stood at the top, just beyond midcourt and double-teamed PC forward Alexis Harris. Coffey came up with a steal, sending SU running the other way. The guard lofted a pass down the court to an unsuspecting Tyson-Thomas. The senior made the over-the-shoulder catch anyway and laid the ball in to give Syracuse a 13-10 lead.

“I was a little winded of course in the first,” Tyson-Thomas said, “but I felt good to be back, to be back in the flow of my team, helping my team do what we do, bringing in the energy.”

Later in the half, it was the same duo wreaking havoc. With 3:26 remaining in the half the Orange had methodically worked its way to a double-digit lead.

Again the defense was out on the press and Tyson-Thomas matched up with Chanise Baldwin near midcourt. The Providence forward attempted to fire a pass towards the middle of the SU defense. Tyson-Thomas got in the passing lane, though, and smacked the ball down. Coffey came up with the loose ball and again sent it down the court to Tyson-Thomas, who dropped in an easy layup. Syracuse extended its lead to 12. The Friars wouldn’t get any closer.

“Playing together over the last couple of years that she’s been here we signal to each other,” Tyson-Thomas said of her relationship with Coffey, “we know when to go, when to gamble, when not to, and when I tip, she goes and gets it and when she tips I go and get it.”

The Orange created 29 points off those turnovers – 18 in the first half – and finished with 12 fastbreak points. It meant hard work for the pressers on defense, but just as Hillsman preaches, easy offensive success as well.

Though center Kayla Alexander finished with four blocks, for long stretches she had it easy. Oftentimes the opposition never got to set up its offense. The press did its job in creating instant offense, and also sparked the team.

“Between Rach and Carmen up top getting all those steals all the time, one gets the steal and the other one just lays it up,” Alexander said. “So it’s nice to get a breather going on the defensive end. And we get the energy up, momentum, too.”

While Coffey was the one grabbing the steals, it was Tyson-Thomas finishing those plays at the other end. She scored her six first-half points all in transition. Four of them were off the steals she and Coffey created.

By the end of the first half, PC simply could not keep up with the Orange. Coffey and Tyson-Thomas had overwhelmed the Friars.

With Tyson-Thomas the press is a different animal. It’s deeper, and more dynamic. By halftime on Saturday, it had put the game away.

“She’s active, she plays very hard and she’s an important part of our success and we know that,” Hillsman said. “I don’t think anyone in the country has a player that comes off the bench every night and contributes the way she does.

“You’re talking about sixth man of the year she’s it because she brings intensity and you have to game plan for her, too.”

Published on February 2, 2013 at 5:54 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2