GREENSBORO, N.C. — All it took was 51 seconds for Taylor Ford to put her stamp on Syracuse’s 10th straight win, which came Friday night against North Carolina State. Three 3s and three emphatic celebrations later, SU’s lead grew from two points to nine early in the third quarter.

It took a little longer on Saturday, but Ford’s two 3s within 79 seconds continued the Orange’s push as SU led Louisville by 11 late in the second quarter.

“Syracuse looks great,” No. 21 Miami head coach Katie Meier, sitting behind press row, said after Ford’s first 3.

Two quick spurts and two quick flashes of the added dimension Ford brings.

But on Sunday against No. 2 Notre Dame, Ford played for just three minutes, didn’t make a shot and picked up three fouls.

“I wouldn’t say that because I didn’t play well this game,” Ford said when asked if she plays better in bigger games after facing Notre Dame. “But I mean, there are certain times where I’ve stepped up. I guess, but that’s hard to explain because I haven’t done that consistently to say yes.”

Ford’s season has been a see-saw between healthy and hurt, effective and irrelevant. In marquee wins against No. 10 Florida State and No. 7 Louisville, Ford’s provided No. 14 Syracuse (25-7, 13-3 Atlantic Coast) with another shooter for defenses to deal with. But at other times, the senior forward has barely found the court and had little influence on games.

In the Orange’s first two games of the ACC tournament this past weekend, Ford combined for 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting in 27 minutes, her best back-to-back stretch of the season. In the championship against Notre Dame, she didn’t score a point for the 13th time in 32 games.

“I try to (hit key shots off the bench) here and there,” Ford said on Sunday. “A couple games I’ve done that, a couple games I haven’t. This game I didn’t, so that was upsetting for me. I mean, I want my team to win at all costs.”

With a nagging back injury, Ford has played her fewest minutes and scored her fewest points since her freshman season. Her 32.6 field-goal percentage is a career low.

But with only do-or-die games left on the schedule — seeding for the NCAA tournament will be announced on Monday — Ford knows the effect she can have when given opportunities.

“I’m not the most dominant scorer on the team, I’m not the most dominant defensive player on the team,” Ford said. “My role is to come in any time I get in and give that spark. I think I’ve shown that.”

 

Evan Jenkins | Staff Photographer

 

Ford ranks fourth for Syracuse with 24 made 3-pointers this season. Brianna Butler (111) and Alexis Peterson (42) rank first and second. Maggie Morrison is tied for second with 42, but she’s hit multiple 3s in a game just once since early February. A third weapon to support Butler and Peterson could help push the Orange into the Sweet 16, somewhere SU has never reached in program history.

After Butler hit five 3s in the first half on Friday, the Wolfpack switched to a box-and-one to stop her and doubled her when she dribbled around on-ball screens. That left Ford open and she capitalized. But her night ended with 5:08 to play when Bria Day tumbled into her and she rolled her ankle.

Another injury limiting her production.

In Syracuse’s biggest win of the season the next day, Ford scored eight points in 14 minutes while shooting 3-of-7 from the floor, including two 3s.

Another contribution in a big game.

“She’s been here before,” Peterson said. “She’s a senior. She knows what to do in those big moments.”

After the Louisville game, Ford was asked if she felt disrespected by the Cardinals’ loose defense on her. She diplomatically said no, but Peterson, sitting next to her in the press conference, shook her head yes.

In early February, head coach Quentin Hillsman said Ford could be SU’s sixth or seventh best player. But that was when she had only scored in double figures once this season.

Now, Ford’s proven she can be.

“That’s what we need her to do, come in the game and make shots and that`s what she does,” Hillsman said. “We have a lot of balance, and that’s what you have to be when you’re winning basketball games.”

Published on March 8, 2016 at 1:07 am

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds