Emily Engstler streaked toward the 3-point line and knocked a Pittsburgh pass away. It was midway through the fourth quarter when she gathered the ball and neared the right side of the rim. A Pitt defender threatened to cut off the Syracuse freshman.

But that didn’t matter. Engstler Euro-stepped toward the left block and converted a reverse layup with her left hand. Fellow freshman Kadiatou Sissoko leaped from her seat on the sideline, jumped up and down and swung a towel side-to-side.

In earlier games, that play may have just flashed her potential — one she’s shown in singular plays every so often. But Thursday, it was the culmination of a career day for the former No. 9 recruit.

Her reverse layup capped a career-high 17 points for Engstler, and that total led No. 18 Syracuse (20-6, 9-4 Atlantic Coast) in its 90-63 win over Pittsburgh (10-18, 1-13) in the Carrier Dome on Thursday. Engstler stuffed the rest of her stat line: six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.  SU head coach Quentin Hillsman has insisted an all-encompassing game would come for the highly-touted forward. Thursday, ahead of the Orange’s biggest game of the year against defending national champions Notre Dame, it came.

“This is who she is,” Hillsman said. “We need this from her every game. This is the kind of player Emily is.”

Engstler has always oozed the potential to contribute all over the floor as Syracuse’s most coveted prospect. First, a spinning dribble move in the lane got her to the foul line. Then, she spotted up on the wing and drained a 3.

But before tonight, those were the type of flashes Engstler would give. She only scored double figures once in ACC play. The rest of the time, it was one or two notable plays and some freshman moments — not hustling up the court, failing to switch and other lapses that forced Hillsman to pull her from games abruptly. That was different Thursday. Engstler kept coming.

When she checked back in for the second quarter, Engstler extended her arms, blocking a Pittsburgh hook shot. Then, followed up for a rebound put-back on the other end.

“It’s really about timing and how you land and when you jump, and I got used to it,” Engstler said of blocking shots, “and I wanted to do something more than just score the basketball.”

Then, another wing 3. And while she’s had to get herself into college basketball shape as the season has worn on, she had the legs Thursday as she flew down the left wing for a dish from Tiana Mangakahia and a fast-break layup.

“I’m just really, really happy that she’s figured it out, and she’s starting to play really solid,” Hillsman said. “Very controlled game, stuffing the stats.”

Her two first half highlights were still pending: an alley-oop right-handed finish off glass and a big left-handed swat out of bounds. Both times, Syracuse’s bench rose to clap and yelled Engstler’s name. Not only had Engstler’s impact been felt all over the floor once or twice, though. It was there, again and again.

She scored on the block to get on the board in the second half, then set up her teammates twice — once on a tight entry pass and another an extra pass for a 3. In a sequence spanning four plays, Engstler added a block by closing out on a 3. Then, her Euro-step layup set up a career-high.

“I think we all strive for a game like this every time we play,” Engstler said. “Yeah, it was cool, it was fun.”

Engstler wasn’t tired. She hadn’t thrown the ball away or committed a silly foul that usually caused Hillsman to sub her out. She stayed consistent.

When Engstler checked out, stepping off the floor for the last time before the Orange host No. 5 Notre Dame, SU’s usual bench line of high-fives rose up to meet her. But a veteran, junior Gabrielle Cooper, recognized Engstler deserved more. So Cooper cut off the freshman and bumped chests with her.

“Like I told you guys, she’s gonna start to figure it out, and she’s gonna have these kind of games,” Hillsman said, “and I think she’s gonna have many more of these.”

Monday would be a good time for another.

Published on February 21, 2019 at 10:14 pm

Contact Billy: wmheyen@syr.edu | @Wheyen3