When Quentin Hillsman summoned Elemy Colomé from the bench, she wasn’t instructed on how to limit then-No.5 Louisville’s Dana Evans, one of the nation’s best guards. Rather, the message on Feb. 9 was broad and simple. “Bring that spark, turn it up,” Syracuse’s assistant coaches said to Colomé as she jolted to the scorer’s table.

Colomé doesn’t reach the court often. As the third backup guard option behind Teisha Hyman and Taleah Washington, the graduate transfer from Rhode Island averages just 5.1 minutes per contest this year and didn’t appear in a game from Nov. 16 to Jan. 5.

“I know my minutes are limited,” Colomé said. “I always just go in and give it my all. I don’t try and save any energy.”

In just three minutes against the Cardinals, Colomé tallied a jumper, an offensive rebound, a steal and took a charge. Her contributions helped Syracuse (14-11, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) gain an advantage it never relented in its biggest upset of the season. Starting guards Kiara Lewis and Gabrielle Cooper average more than 36 minutes a game, but it’s the backup guards who have helped ignite SU’s recent four-game win streak.

“At this point of the season, you’re usually shrinking your rotation,” Hillsman said. “We’re expanding our rotation.”

Of the three primary backup guards, Hyman plays the most by far, averaging 21.3 minutes per game. She typically shares the court with Lewis and Cooper and acts as a secondary ball handler. After missing the first three games of the season while recovering from a medial meniscus tear, the freshman burst onto the scene with strong performances against then-No. 24 Michigan and UMBC. On Dec. 8 against the Retrievers, she notched 16 points and three assists in 15 minutes, and Hillsman called Hyman “a complete guard.”

But her mid-range jumper that was dropping started to miss. To start the ACC schedule, the White Plains, New York native shot 31% (26-for-83). Finally, Hyman broke out of her slump by going 7-for-10 with seven steals in an 89-79 win over Boston College on Feb. 6, just her second time shooting above 50% in conference play.

“I’m happy it happened,” Hyman said. “Sometimes things are contagious, you hit your first 3 and you kind of get in the rhythm of it.”

It was the same game Colomé scored her season-high. During Syracuse’s team breakfast the morning of the game, Hillsman pulled his three graduate transfers aside and told them to “stay locked in” and that he “truly needs (them),” Colomé recalled. In 2018-19, she led Rhode Island in points (14.1) and minutes (30.5) per game. Now, she’s the ninth or tenth option off SU’s bench.

Against the Eagles, though, Colomé registered seven points and two assists in eight minutes. She appeared in, and scored, in three-straight games after that. In the second half against Pittsburgh on Feb. 16, Colomé helped force a 10-second violation and saved a loose ball by diving into SU’s bench.

“I want to send (the graduate transfers) out on their feet,” Hillsman told Brian Higgins on the broadcast after the BC game. “I don’t want to send them out on the bench.”

In that same stretch, Hillsman’s reemphasized Washington’s play too. The freshman’s three highest scoring totals came in her first games. Since, Washington’s best game was six points against Green Bay on Nov. 30, and she hasn’t scored more than five points in conference play. But a 2-for-4 (1-for-1 from 3) stretch within the last week flashed potential in small doses.

She didn’t expect to play in every contest except Louisville, Washington said, and added she’s had opportunities “most other freshmen don’t get.” While on the bench, she studies the decision-making, movement and defensive tendencies of veteran guards Lewis and Cooper.

“The upperclassmen that play over me, the people who play my position — I take notes and see what I can do better to help my game,” Washington said.

Mostly, she’s limited to watching the two starters. But at times, Washington’s been able to study Colomé and Hyman, too.

With four regular season games remaining until the ACC tournament, Syracuse needs as many wins as possible to strengthen its case for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. And, for now, Hillsman believes part of that formula includes the backup guards.

Published on February 19, 2020 at 10:49 pm

Contact David: ddschnei@syr.edu