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After suffering an upset loss to UAlbany on Nov. 20, Syracuse knocked off some rust with an 82-59 victory over Missouri at the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida. However, it suffered a blowout 27-point defeat to Creighton a day later.

The Orange improved their second-quarter performance to defeat the Tigers, while Journey Thompson emerged for a season-best performance. Meanwhile, SU displayed struggles from 3-point range, which prevented it from making a comeback against the Bluejays.

After dropping one game below .500, the Orange look to bounce back when they welcome Yale to the JMA Wireless Dome Sunday. The Bulldogs have finished in the bottom half of the Ivy League each of the last two seasons and are 1-7 this season.

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (3-4, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) faces Yale (1-7, 0-0 Ivy League):

All-time series

The series is tied 1-1.

Last time they played …

Syracuse defeated Yale 60-58 on Dec. 4, 2022. After trailing by 12 points at halftime, the Orange stormed back behind Dyaisha Fair and Dariauna Lewis’ combined 33 points. SU trailed since the 8:50 mark in the first quarter before Fair hit a 3-pointer with 4:45 left. Lewis then hit two layups in the final minutes while Syracuse’s defense fended off the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs report

Yale is off to its worst start under third-year head coach Dalila Eshe. After starting last season 2-6, the Bulldogs have one fewer win through eight games this season. Yale is turning the ball over 20.1 times per game and fouling opponents with the 29th-highest frequency in the country.

The Bulldogs opened their season by narrowly defeating Monmouth (1-6, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Association) and have dropped their last seven games since. Five of Yale’s seven losses have come by double figures.

Despite the Bulldogs’ overall lack of success, Mackenzie Egger has surfaced as Yale’s scoring and rebounding leader this season. She has recorded over 20 points in half of Yale’s contests and has a team-high eight blocks.

How SU beats Yale

Ahead of Syracuse’s 73-70 loss to UAlbany, it would be important to win the rebounding battle on the defensive glass. SU was collecting more boards, but in the fourth quarter, its rebounding plummeted, leading to seven second-chance points for UAlbany.

Defensive rebounding remains a key component to Syracuse’s success against Yale. The Bulldogs’ 13.6 offensive rebounds per game ranks 77th in the nation, while SU has fallen to the bottom 50 ranks in defensive rebounding. The Orange possess height in their frontcourt with Izabel Varejão and Kyra Wood, and they will need to take advantage over the Bulldogs — who have just one player listed over six feet.

Syracuse will also need to find consistency at shooting 3-pointers. The Orange’s 3-point rate also ranks in the bottom 30 in Division I. Their lack of triples has been harmful in recent contests. SU hasn’t made over five 3s since Nov. 17 in its win over FDU. However, its top shooters – Georgia Woolley, Sophie Burrows and Dominique Camp – are each shooting above 44% from deep.

Stat to know: 58.6%

It’s no secret Yale struggles at the charity stripe. The Bulldogs are converting free throws at a 58.6% rate this season, ranking 341st of 362 Division I teams, per HerHoopStats.

Yale’s poor performance at the line has cost it in close contests. In a two-point loss to Marist on Nov. 26, the Bulldogs missed seven free throws. Over the last four seasons, Yale has finished in the bottom third in the nation in free-throw shooting.

Player to watch: Mackenzie Egger, guard/forward, No. 24

After averaging below six points per game each of her first three seasons, Egger dropped 25 points in the season opener against Monmouth and never looked back. Through eight games, Egger is averaging a team-high 16.9 points per game.

Egger has also developed a 3-point shot, knocking down 7-of-15 3s this season. Along with her scoring ability, Egger averages 10 rebounds per game.

Published on November 30, 2024 at 1:49 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32