Pieces of paper were scattered across Syracuse’s locker room. Some folded and shoved in corners. Others tucked under crumpled tissues. Two hours earlier, players had received the slips for motivation.

Early Monday morning, bracketologist Charlie Creme wrote on ESPN that the Orange were ripe for an NCAA tournament second-round upset. So, SU copied his words — “If ever a host team did not gain much from hosting, it’s Syracuse,” — threw it on stationary brandished with a block ‘S’ and warned the players. Yet, as white jerseys sulked and reckoned with the four-quarter track meet they lost, the paper’s remained in lockers and on the ground. South Dakota State had done it. Creme’s prediction came true.

“You know,” freshman Emily Engstler said, “regardless of how hyped you get before a game it’s how you play on the court. We fell a little short, sadly.”

No. 3 seed Syracuse (25-9, 11-5 Atlantic Coast) asserted throughout the 2018-19 season that, at its best, it could beat anyone. South Dakota State adhered to the same rationale.  SDSU tallied nine 3-pointers, four more than the Orange and outscored them in every quarter except the first. The No. 6-seeded Jackrabbits’ (28-6, 15-1 Summit League) 16-2 fourth-quarter run ended SU’s season in the Round of 32. The lesser-developed program prevailed, 75-64.

SU’s campaign had its successes — a young roster improved and multiple players garnered national praise. It even accomplished its initial goal and earned a top-four seed. But, somehow, a mid-major outplayed a Syracuse team built on similar program identities. In the Carrier Dome, no less.

“I knew days ago that (SDSU’s shooters) can get hot,” junior guard Gabrielle Cooper said. “…It was never a question of ‘They might get hot.’ No, we knew they were going to be hot.”

Max Freund | Staff Photographer

Three years ago, while SU shot, pressed and defended its way to the National Championship game in Sioux Falls, S.D., the Jackrabbits fostered similar philosophy. In fact, it mirrored the Orange offense to the point that SU head coach Quentin Hillsman lifted elements of Aaron Johnston’s offense into Syracuse’s last season.

Since then, South Dakota State racked up conference titles and Hillsman’s teams haven’t advanced past the first weekend. Monday night didn’t change that. The Orange were sloppy with the ball and their season-long holes on the defense were widened. Despite an 8-0, 56-second stretch to regain the lead in the final frame, SDSU stayed in rhythm while SU sputtered while the two wrestled with momentum early. 

Playing in what may be her final collegiate game, junior point guard Tiana Mangakahia answered two turnovers with two no-look passes that ended in layups. Both team’s ideologies are predicated on boom-versus-bust, gaining and maximizing possessions above all else. So, naturally, the game turned into a track meet. And heading into the first media timeout, both squads were on pace for nearly 100 points.

Many SU players said they knew their opponent’s go-to strategy: SDSU liked to drive and kick to open shooters. It coincided with Syracuse’s season-long issue of allowing dribblers easy access into its 2-3 zone. Hillsman pleaded to his defense during timeouts to stay home and guard the perimeter. South Dakota State still connected on three 3s in the first.

“We didn’t capitalize on us being the bigger team, us being athletic, us, you know, being able to defend,” Amaya-Finklea Guity said.

Corey Henry Staff Photographer

When Syracuse’s press finally did its job and forced two steals, the offense capitalized. Cooper knocked down a side-step 3 after the second swipe, sticking her tongue out while her follow-through hung in the air. But, true to form, the Jackrabbits matched with a contested 3 in front of the SU bench.

In the second quarter, the Orange turned inside for offense. Another Cooper deep ball made it 36-24. As it would be for most of the matchup, SDSU created an answer. Guebert triggered a 12-2 SDSU run, and after a missed half court heave, Syracuse led by just two points.

“They were going on runs,” Cooper said. “…They were just quietly sticking around.”

The Jackrabbits kept flicking passes around the zone, beating the Orange press to get into the half-court set. They flashed inside and out, pulling in the 2-3 zone and eventually opening up shooters dotted around the perimeter. Macy Miller, SDSU’s leading-scorer, said they pushed the ball forward to prevent the press to lock in.

Another 3 pushed the margin to five. Reserve guard Cheylane Bailey yelled “Wake up” through two hands after another Syracuse miss. South Dakota State carried a six-point lead into the fourth quarter.

But in the final frame, defensive efforts by Mangakahia, Drummond and Kiara Lewis swung momentum again. Mangakahia dished another no-look pass to Drummond, then Drummond recorded a steal off the press and scored. More steals led to more SU buckets to flip-flop the lead again. Three steals in less than a minute were capped off with an SDSU timeout as Hillsman glared at the bleachers and waved them on.

“It felt really good,” sophomore forward Digna Strautmane said of SU’s rally. “That’s maybe one of the mistakes our team makes pretty often. We can’t keep the energy. We just give it up.”

Max Freund | Staff Photographer

Two open layups tied the game. Guebert — who entered the game with a 42.3 3-point percentage — slipped free and notched two from behind the arc and nervousness trickled through the bleachers. South Dakota State led by five with just more than two minutes to go.

Orange possessions quickened. The ball skirted around, and shots clanked off the rim. Four different Syracuse players registered at least 29 minutes. And Engstler noticed those on the floor looked “tired.” Strautmane said they “weren’t mentally in it.” During a stoppage with 1:40 left, the five on the floor huddled around Hillsman. The rest watched. After the break, the shots still missed.

The buzzer sounded and yellow jerseys jumped up and down near the block ‘S’ at center court. They pointed fingers toward the ceiling as the stands emptied.  Sitting on press row, Hillsman looked down at the score sheet and marked the 11-2 run that ended Syracuse’s season on its home floor. 

“We could have played this in a rec-center and we would have been stunned the same way,” Hillsman said. “…To get two games here, we win here, and tonight South Dakota State was the better team.”  

Published on March 25, 2019 at 9:01 pm

Contact Nick: nialvare@syr.edu | @nick_a_alvarez