Syracuse Synopsis: The Week That Was & The Week Ahead

A look everything going on with Orange Athletics.

Recapping everything Syracuse Athletics and what to look forward to for the week ahead

Two more spring sports got their seasons underway while other programs continued to ascend in the polls. Here is what you need to know:

Women’s Basketball:

Record: 20-4 (10-3 in ACC) No. 19 in AP Poll & No. 23 in Coaches Poll (2/6)

Last Week: 2/8 vs Georgia Tech W, 62-59 & 2/11 vs No. 15 Louisville W, 73-72

This Week: 2/15 @ Miami (6 p.m.) & 2/18 @ Virginia (2 p.m.)

Syracuse was one of the biggest risers in the AP Poll this week, jumping four spots and cracking the Top 20 for the first time in the FLJ era. The Orange held on for a gritty win against Georgia Tech during the program’s Play4Kay night. It was a needed tune-up before the final regular season meeting against Louisville inside the Dome.

Fifth-year Dyaisha Fair had 29 points against the Cardinals, including two free throws that gave Cuse the lead with two seconds remaining. It was SU’s first win over Louisville since the 2020 season. For her heroics, Fair was named the Naismith Player of the Week. ESPN also joined the festivities, rewarding Coach Felisha Leggette-Jack as Coach of the Week and Fair as Player of the Week.

Syracuse has earned 20 wins in both seasons under Coach Legette-Jack, already matching their win total from a season ago. After their fourth win over a Top 15-ranked program, Syracuse hits the road for battles with Miami (16-7/6-6) and Virginia (12-12/4-9). The Hurricanes and Cavaliers are towards the bottom half of the ACC Standings with a combined record of 10-15.

Men’s Basketball:

Record: 16-8 (6-7 in ACC)

Last Week: 2/7 vs Louisville W, 94-92 & 2/10 vs Clemson L, 77-68

This Week: 2/13 vs No. 7 North Carolina (7 p.m.) & 2/17 @ Georgia Tech (5:30 p.m.)

Coach Red Autry’s squad split their games following Benny Williams’ dismissal from the program early last week. Syracuse outlasted Louisville due to a career-high 30 points from forward Chris Bell in the back-and-forth matchup. Backcourt mates Judah Mintz and JJ Starling combined for 40 points in the win and sophomore Maliq Brown posted the first-ever 5x5 performance (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks).

Fifth-year guard Joe Girard III returned to Central New York on Saturday and recorded his 2000th point in the Clemson victory. SU was down 15 points in the first half before tying the game at 60 with 3:37 remaining in regulation, but the Tigers pulled away.

Syracuse caps off the homestand against ACC-best North Carolina (19-5/11-2), who also lost to Clemson last week. The Orange have dropped three straight meetings to UNC, including a 103-67 blowout in Chapel Hill a month ago.

Men’s Lacrosse:

Record: 3-0 No. 5 Inside Lacrosse Poll & No. 7 USILA Poll

Last Week: 2/5 vs No. 20 Colgate W, 18-10 & 2/9 vs Manhattan W, 16-3

This Week: 2/17 vs No. 4 Maryland (6 p.m.)

Cuse completed their stretch of three games in less than a week with a perfect record. On Monday, Gary Gait’s team defeated a Colgate Raider team that already upset No. 4 Penn State in the season opener.

Syracuse earned a 13-goal victory over the Manhattan Jaspers on Friday, holding the opposition scoreless for over 23 minutes in the first half. Three goals is the lowest the team has allowed since the 2019 season.

Sophomore sensation Joey Spallina racked up 19 points (7+12), including a new career-best ten points in the win over the Jaspers. Now with over a week off to rest, Syracuse hosts Maryland (2-0) in an early season top-10 showdown on Saturday night that will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

Women’s Lacrosse:

Record: 0-1 No. 5 Inside Lacrosse Poll & WLCA

Last Week: 2/10 @ No. 1 Northwestern L, 18-15

This Week: 2/14 vs No. 18 Army (4 p.m.) & 2/17 vs No. 9 Maryland (noon)

The reigning NCAA Champion Wildcats bested the Orange to open the season over the weekend. Northwestern built an 8-2 lead in the first half before a fourth-quarter comeback from Cuse. Down 15-14 with 8:16 remaining, Northwestern responded with a 3-0 run to put the game away.

Junior Olivia Adamson scored a career-high six goals in the loss, and preseason All-American Delaney Sweitzer stopped 13 shots between the pipes.

Syracuse will have two Top-20 matchups in their first home games of the season versus Army (0-1) and Maryland (1-0). They’ll open up the doubleheader between the Terps and the Orange on Saturday at noon.

Softball:

Record: 3-2

Last Week: 2/9 vs Bucknell W, 3-0 & Coastal Carolina L, 5-4 2/10 vs Campbell W, 13-3 F/5

2/11 vs George Washington L, 6-5 & Campbell W, 5-0 F/6

This Week: 2/16 vs Maryland (2 p.m.) & Southern Louisiana (4 p.m.) 2/17 Maryland (11 a.m.) & Southeast Missouri State (3 p.m.)

The softball returned to the diamond playing in the Kickin’ Chicken Classic hosted by Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina. Syracuse split their meetings on Friday and Sunday, but the highlight of the tournament was an offensive onslaught against Campbell on Saturday night in a 13-3 victory.

In the five games, Syracuse hit .313 as a team with a 3.27 ERA. Senior Angel Jasso went 12-17 (.706) at the plate with 10 RBIs. Syracuse will head back down South and take part in the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic.

Women’s Ice Hockey:

Record: 7-22-3 (4-12-2 in CHA)

Last Week: 2/9-10 vs RIT L, 1-0 & W, 3-0

This Week: 2/16-17 vs Mercyhurst (6 p.m.) & ( 3 p.m.)

A power-play goal in the first period proved to be the difference in another one-goal loss for Cuse in the home and home series against RIT. On Saturday, SU responded with a shutout win over the Tigers at Upstate Medical Arena, the home of the AHL Syracuse Crunch.

Goaltender Allie Kelly earned her third CHA Goalie of the Week award, stopping 59 of 60 shots in the two-game set. Kelly now has 1,090 saves this season, the most in the NCAA.

Syracuse hosts Mercyhurst (16-15-1/12-6) for two matchups, including senior day for 12 seniors and grad students on Saturday.

Women’s Tennis:

Record: 4-1

Last Week: No Matches

This Week: 2/17 vs Boston College (11 a.m.) & 2/18 vs UMass (11 a.m.)

After their first loss of the season on the road against Columbia earlier in the month, the tennis program looks to regroup in their first ACC match at Drumlins Country Club versus Boston College.