The Panthers were frantically passing the ball around the perimeter. Each time someone caught it, a Syracuse player rushed up, arms in the air, denying even the slightest opening for a high-percentage shot.

It was the first half and the shot clock was running down. SU’s 2-3 zone was frustrating Pittsburgh. Finally, the Panthers got an opening, passing it down to an open Cora McManus in the paint. But Brittney Sykes came and poked the ball away from her. It rolled down the baseline as the final second ticked off the shot clock.

Exasperated expressons swept across the faces of the Pittsburgh players. Sykes clapped her hands in excitement.

The futility was only just beginning for the Panthers.

“We did a very good job of sitting on their sets,” SU head coach Quentin Hillsman said. “We got a very good scout from the first game and obviously when you’re playing the zone, playing the same as the first time, they’re going to do a lot of the same things.”

When Chelsea Welch’s 3-pointer from the left wing swished through the net with 1:22 left in the opening half, it gave Pittsburgh its first field goal of the game. Each time a Pittsburgh (11-17, 3-11 Atlantic Coast) player appeared to have an opening, Syracuse’s (20-8, 9-6) stingy 2-3 zone made sure to close it out.

On SU’s Senior Day, the defense forced 15 turnovers and blocked six shots, as the Orange blew out Pittsburgh 67-36 on Sunday in front of a season-high 1,532 fans at the Carrier Dome.

“I think we were aggressive on the ball,” Sykes said. “We really focused, and we scouted them really well.”

Sykes captained the impressive defensive effort. She recorded just two blocks and a steal, but was in a Panther’s face at every opportunity.

Late in the first half, Pitt had yet to record a field goal. Loliya Briggs cut down the right baseline and appeared to have a good look at getting one in the basket. But then Sykes elevated and sent the ball 10 feet behind her.

“It brought me back to high school when I used to block shots,” Sykes said. “To not get the foul call made me really happy. I just try to defend the basket for my team getting back and to get another offensive possession.”

Only one player on Pittsburgh made more than one field goal, and starters Briggs and Asia Logan combined to go 0-for-18.

And even when the Panthers made a small run late in the game, no one on the Pitt bench clapped. There were no cheers, no acknowledgement. There was only a 28-point deficit, and 7:56 left to go before the offensive nightmare would come to an end.

“We were able to contest most of their shots and make them shoot shots that they don’t normally take,” SU guard Brianna Butler said. “I think that was the key for our success today.”

Overall, Pittsburgh looked helpless. No one could find a way to crack the SU pressure in the first half, and when the Panthers did get a shot off, it rarely even touched the rim.

Hillsman said that it was without question the best defensive effort he has seen from his team this season.

“You get into those games, and you start getting down the court, and the pace is going,” Hillsman said. “I just knew we were winning, that’s all I knew.

“That was the goal, just to be winning.”

Published on February 23, 2014 at 5:42 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3