SU Lineup Change Fuels Win over Boston College
By Chris Sacchi
Syracuse Women’s Basketball Beat Reporter
Chestnut Hill, Mass. – Syracuse was back on the road at Boston College four days after a loss at Virginia. The Orange was in search of offense after a scoring a season-low 41 points against UVA.
Coach Quentin Hillsman’s squad found the scoring it was looking for, and then some. Syracuse (11-11, 5-6 Atlantic Coast) shined on offense in an 89-79 win over Boston College (12-10, 5-6 Atlantic Coast) inside Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts on Thursday night. The Orange offensive rallied to shoot 45.8% from the field, the highest mark since a win over Houston in November. Save for the first 38 seconds of the game, SU lead for the entirety of the night.
Whether it was Hillsman trying to switch things up after the inefficient night against UVA, or the absence of Gabrielle Cooper (illness, as reported by Brian Higgins on ESPN Radio Syracuse,) nine different players suited up for Syracuse tonight, including three graduate transfers who have seen their minutes drop since the start of ACC play.
Elemy Colome, a Lawrence, Massachusetts, native, enjoyed the extended play and the chance to play close to home, scoring all of her season high seven points in the first half. The transfer from Rhode Island did not miss a shot or free throw. Brooke Alexander and Whisper Fisher both found the bottom of the net in their opportunities as well. Overall, all but one Syracuse player scored tonight.
Freshman guard Teisha Hyman also stepped up, slotting into the starting lineup for the first time in replacement of Cooper. The freshman from White Plains, New York initially struggled, called for two quick fouls in the first quarter. By the end of the game, however, she had become a key part of the win. She netted 16 points while shooting 70 percent from the field. Hyman also added seven steals, the most for any SU player this year and three short of the program record for thefts in a game.
Just like the Syracuse offense, Kiara Lewis bounced back after an off night against Virginia (two points on 1-11 shooting.) Lewis racked up 23 tonight, connecting on three out of six from beyond the arc.
While the offense had one of the top performances of the year so far, creating turnovers on the defensive end was also a huge part of the win. Hillsman’s press unit forced 23 Eagles giveaways leading to 22 points the other way for the Orange.
Once again, Syracuse is back at .500, this time getting ready to host the No. 5 team in the nation with Louisville heading to the Dome on Sunday. Last time these teams met the Cardinals escaped with a four-point win at home. Now, the Orange have a chance to get even on home court. Tipoff is set for two.
cjsacchi@syr.edu | @SachChristopher
