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After Syracuse’s season-ending loss to No. 1 UConn on Tuesday night in San Antonio, our beat writers evaluated the Orange’s season using grades A through F.

Below is The Daily Orange’s report card for Syracuse’s season, which concluded in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 36-point loss to the Huskies:

Overall offense

Roshan Fernandez: B-

It’s no secret that head coach Quentin Hillsman’s offenses are structured to be heavy on 3-pointers. But this season, the Orange had 10 games where they made five or fewer 3-pointers — including on Tuesday against UConn. While Syracuse attempted the 45th-most 3-pointers in the nation, according to the NCAA, it ranks 191st in 3-point percentage (30.4%).

The Orange have 6-foot-7 freshman Kamilla Cardoso — who’s still developing her talents and learning to use her height to her full advantage — but they didn’t use her enough in the paint. On a semi-frequent basis, especially early in the season, Syracuse didn’t want to adjust its offense to go inside to the paint on days when it was bricking 3s. The Orange’s second round exit was a disappointment compared to preseason expectations, and a part of that was because of Syracuse’s inability to make shots, particularly against top opponents.

Tim Nolan: C+

The offense was far too one-dimensional early on. Tiana Mangakahia would receive a high-ball screen to initiate offense, and in theory, she’d either have the center rolling to the hoop, a shooter on the wing or a shot she could take herself. But with Syracuse shooting just over 30% from 3-point range all season, teams would give up a skip pass to the corner to trap Mangakahia on the screen. It resulted in bad losses at Clemson and Florida State, where she had seven and eight turnovers, respectively.

The offense diversified as the season progressed, but the Orange’s shooting woes didn’t. SU only shot over 43% eight times all season, and that’s the biggest reason its season is over.

Thomas Shults: B-

It became clear throughout the season that, no matter the personnel on the floor, Syracuse was going to shoot 3s in bunches. But on occasions when those shots didn’t fall — like SU’s 3-of-15 shooting from 3 against UConn — Hillsman refused to adjust. While the Orange shot the third-worst percentage in the Atlantic Coast Conference from distance, it attempted the third-most shots.

For a team with Cardoso and a deep rotation of bigs, Syracuse rarely utilized its inside presence. Instead, Hillsman ran increasingly predictable curls and off-ball-screens in attempts to free up shooters. Many of those looks turned into quick-fire, off-balance shots. SU could have played inside-out, looking to score over oppositions and contract the defense, before firing passes to open shooters on the perimeter.

Overall defense

Fernandez: B+

All season, Syracuse conceded early runs and regularly dug itself into double-digit deficits that required stressful, fatiguing comebacks. The Orange pulled off those comebacks, but their up-and-down defense was one big reason they were in that position.

UConn’s the best team in the nation in field goal shooting percentage (51.7%), but the disparity between the Huskies and Syracuse’s defense was on full display on Tuesday. Syracuse is an incredible shot-blocking team, and it’s been very good at grabbing steals, too. But the bottom line is the Orange were the tallest team in the ACC, and they probably should’ve been better defensively.

Nolan: A-

Syracuse had only three bad games defensively — North Carolina, Virginia Tech and UConn. The Huskies were also just the second team to shoot over 50% against the Orange this season after Hokies did so on Feb 21. While HerHoopStats ranked the Orange 248th in the country in opponent points per game, that’s more indicative of SU’s pace of play than its defensive lapses.

Syracuse had one of the best interior defenders in the country in Cardoso to go along with Emily Engstler, who finished in the top five of the conference in both steals and blocks. On top of that, Syracuse started two freshmen the entire year, Cardoso and Priscilla Williams, who both handled the transition to SU’s hybrid man-zone fairly well. But consistently poor offensive sets wore the group down on the other end at times.

Shults: A-

For a team that sprints back-and-forth all game long — forcing opponents to do the same — Syracuse’s defense is remarkably good. Despite frequently recovering in transition defense and applying a full-court press in seemingly every game, Syracuse only allowed opponents to shoot 41.1%.

SU forced the fourth-most turnovers per game in the conference, as Kiara Lewis and Mangakahia pressed and rotated well at the top of the 2-3 zone. The experienced duo played well off each other, with the guards jumping into passing lanes at opportune moments. Down low, SU had the best shot blocker in the ACC, with Cardoso blocking more shots than five ACC teams.

Depth off the bench

Fernandez: A

Having veterans such as Amaya Finklea-Guity and Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi absent from the starting lineup for the entirety of the regular season reflects just how strong Syracuse’s depth was. The Orange hit a wall in the ACC Tournament when they ran “out of gas” in the semifinal — they had just six players in their rotation, but that was because they were without personnel due to injuries and violations of team protocols.

If Cardoso wasn’t performing, Hillsman had two reliable options. Engstler, one of SU’s most versatile and reliable players on both ends of the court, came off the bench almost all year, too.

Nolan: A

To put this team’s depth in perspective, SU had three former five-star recruits who didn’t start. Hillsman’s first option off the bench was always Engstler — the conference’s Co-Sixth Player of the Year. Hillsman also had the experience of Djaldi-Tabdi, who had the best game of her career as a sub with a 17-point performance against Pittsburgh on Jan 28. Finklea-Guity provided another five-star talent above 6-foot-4 that could back up Cardoso. When Mangakahia would get tired or flustered, Syracuse could turn to Kiara Fisher or Taleah Washington to give the fifth-year guard a breather.

Up until injuries and suspensions hampered SU’s depth in the postseason, it was a major strength of this group. It also puts the program in a comfortable place entering an uncertain offseason regarding who opts to stay and who calls it a career.

Shults: A-

To play at the speed Syracuse does, it’s necessary to have a deep bench. Not only did the Orange have depth — until suspensions and injuries occured in the ACC Tournament — they had experience. Finklea-Guity started every year, and Hillsman mentioned how impactful the senior was in the development of star freshman Cardoso. Djaldi-Tabdi served as a utility player for SU, who could play in the paint or on the perimeter. Engstler was the best reserve in the conference and had the capability of taking over games, either with her scoring or defense. While the young guards fell out of the rotation, Fisher was pivotal to giving Mangakahia and Lewis occasional breathers in the regular season.

Sarah Jimenez Miles | Design Editor

Potential for future seasons

Fernandez: A

Syracuse’s highest-ranked recruiting class lived up to expectations. Cardoso won the conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year honor, and Williams started in 20 games. The Orange may lose Digna Strautmane, Lewis, Finklea-Guity and Djaldi-Tabdi — and will most definitely lose Mangakahia to the WNBA Draft. Those will prove to be difficult positions to fill, but SU’s youth showed promise and significant growth throughout the season. Engstler had her best year yet, and she’ll only continue to grow through the upcoming offseason.

Nolan: B-

Hillsman has stressed the importance of “stacking classes on top of classes.” This year’s crop ranked No. 4 in the nation, and SU’s 2021 class sits 11th in the country. But if we look more closely at SU’s class next season, none of those players are five-star recruits. In the final seconds of the season-ending loss to UConn, every Orange player on the floor besides JUCO-transfer Mangakahia was a former five-star recruit. SU’s 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes were 14th and eight, respectively. Yet those groups never made it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and 2020 being canceled is a moot point because SU was just 16-15. Fifteen years into Hillsman’s tenure, the postseason futility is becoming more telling than his offseason success.

Shults: B+

Hillsman has proven that he’s one of the better recruiters in the ACC. After recruiting star freshmen Cardoso and Williams last season, next year’s class features four top-100 recruits. While there aren’t the five-star recruits that SU landed last cycle, the 2021 class is highlighted by 6-foot-4 forward Latasha Lattimore, ranked No. 38 in the nation, according to ESPN. SU is also adding point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson, the No. 41 recruit.

Despite another tremendous recruiting class, Syracuse is losing its star guard, forward Strautmane and two of its consistent reserves. This season was the year to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Instead, next season will be focused on molding a young team.

Points in the paint

Fernandez: B-

In the grand scheme of everything, Syracuse is a very good team in the paint. But to be frank, the Orange missed opportunities by not utilizing their size more. Opponents’ head coaches have said all year that they had to game plan specifically for Cardoso, and they often added that they didn’t have a good answer to her size. Syracuse didn’t go inside to Cardoso enough, instead hoisting 3s. Cardoso finished with a team-high .576 field goal percentage, but also missed a number of easy layups. Syracuse as a whole wasn’t as clinical as it could’ve been on layups or what should be automatic shots in the paint.

Nolan: B

Syracuse did an impressive job of getting close scoring opportunities inside in nearly every game. However, points in the paint were a different story. Even against UConn, Engstler had no problem getting four layups in the opening three minutes over a smaller Paige Bueckers, but she missed all four. Lewis was Syracuse’s most talented slasher this season, but she had a career-low field goal percentage of 33%.

The game sped up against better competition, and even fast-break layups became an adventure for the Orange, such as Lewis’ miss in the third quarter that caused Hillsman to lean back in disbelief. Before SU addresses its woes from outside, it needs to convert the easy shots first. And if Cardoso can start converting and-1s with frequency, forget it.

Shults: B+

Syracuse was at its best when Mangakahia drove to the lane, forcing defenders to rotate over and block scoring lanes. When that happened, the fifth-year senior often navigated to an opening for a layup or located an open teammate with a pinpoint pass. Generally, those passes fell into the hands of Cardoso or Engstler. While Cardoso missed plenty of shots from a couple feet away from the hoop, she often grabbed her own miss over smaller defenders. Eventually, SU’s center would make the shot or be fouled.

Engstler became one of the most efficient scorers on the roster as the season progressed. While she can score from the wings, Engstler is best suited at attacking the glass and defenses on the low blocks.

Published on March 24, 2021 at 10:48 pm