Alexis Peterson leads Syracuse in scoring in a prolific first season as starting point guard. Briana Day is averaging well over a double-double and has established herself as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s premiere post presences.

Yet despite the star power that his two most-defined players have showcased, SU head coach Quentin Hillsman says that Cornelia Fondren is the team’s most valuable player.

“She’s very versatile,” Hillsman said. “She plays the one through the four for us. She plays multiple positions and has multiple skills. She does what we need her to do and fits in every role.”

Fondren doesn’t light up the stat sheet in any one area — she’s not leading the team in anything — but she’s proven herself to be good at everything. Two seasons removed from being SU’s starting point guard and just one from coming off the bench, the junior has established herself as a go-to threat at four different positions for the Orange.

She’s fifth on the team in scoring, but second in rebounds, assists, steals and minutes played. Hillsman will look to use her many talents when No. 19 Syracuse (8-1) travels to Winter Park, Florida to face No. 9 Baylor (8-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Florida Sunshine Classic.

“It’s hard to adjust…but you have to be versatile,” Fondren said. “You have to adjust. Whether you start out as a point guard, two-guard or three-guard, you have to adjust.”

Fondren said she’s been a point guard nearly her entire career, but with last year’s leading scorer Brittney Sykes out, Fondren has had to fill in at small forward.

And though the adjustment has been admittedly difficult, she’s not allowing her 5-foot-8 frame to hinder her ability to play positions meant for players of greater height and girth.

On the first possession of SU’s 70-37 win at home over Canisius on Tuesday, Fondren helped steal a pass from Tiahana Mills and had a good look at an open layup. She missed but as the converging defenders were late to react, Fondren still calmly got her own rebound and put in the second chance. Six minutes later, she did the exact same thing.

“Corn rebounds out of sheer will. She’s just a go-get it type of player,” Peterson said. “…You have someone like Corn that comes out every night, and she teaches you to play hard.”

In addition to her 8.7 points per game, she’s also hauling in six rebounds per game, the majority of which have come on the offensive glass. She’s averaging 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals and even has four total blocks in a season where she’s flown largely under the radar.

Against Baylor, Hillsman said he hopes to get Fondren slashing into the short corner or high post. He thinks if she can catch the ball on the move, the Bears defenders might have a hard time staying in front of her.

But most importantly, he said, she just needs to continue what she’s been doing — which is a little bit of everything.

Said Hillsman: “She’s very adaptable, she would adapt to any situation that we need her. And that says a lot about her about her as a team player and being invested into our program.”

Published on December 19, 2014 at 4:34 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3