Syracuse women’s basketball look to bench for spark against DePaul
Nicole Michael recognizes that the Syracuse women’s basketball team’s chances for atonement are limited.
So with five games remaining in the regular season schedule and the Orange’s postseason aspirations in limbo, the junior forward has issued a direct challenge to an unlikely group of players – the Syracuse bench.
‘We definitely need the bench to step up,’ Michael said. ‘They know what we need to get to the NCAA tournament. So they know they have to step up. It starts with the leaders on the court, so we have to play hard and get (the bench) comfortable coming into the game.’
The Orange’s principal role players, including Juanita Ward, Marisa Gobuty, Troya and Berry, will look to respond to Michael’s challenge when Syracuse hosts DePaul (19-7, 7-5 Big East) in the Carrier Dome at 8 p.m. tonight.
Michael’s motivational assertion isn’t necessarily news. She is only reaffirming Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman’s sentiments after he attributed his bench’s sloppy performance in the 66-55 loss at Louisville two weeks ago to its youth and inexperience.
In the loss against the Cardinals, the Syracuse bench – with the exception of Ward, who plays starter-like minutes – scored a paltry three points, pulled down four rebounds, dished out one assist and forced no turnovers.
Those aren’t numbers Hillsman likes to see, but the coach understands it’s a gradual process.
‘They’re a very cohesive unit and they hold each other accountable,’ Hillsman said. ‘All they have to do is play hard, maintain the same intensity and do the simple things. If they do that, we’ll win basketball games.’
If Ward didn’t average 21.9 minutes and 9.5 points per game, the SU bench would have combined to average 9.6 points through Syracuse’s 24 games this season, which is not enough offensive production needed to threaten upper-echelon Big East teams.
But Syracuse guard Erica Morrow is still optimistic the team’s role players can withstand its tough stretch. The Orange’s leading scorer’s faith has never wavered when she’s been subbed out in favor of a bench player.
‘I’m always confident in our bench,’ Morrow said. ‘I feel that every player that we have that comes in after the starting five has the capabilities to step up and do what they’re supposed to do. I don’t ever feel like the game will get out of hand when they’re in.’
As of late, however, the Syracuse bench’s production has been improving. During its recent victory over St. John’s, the bench contributed 12 points and curbed its turnover ratio, finishing with only two.
Hillsman believes that Gobuty, a sophomore guard, is one of the cornerstones for the evolving turnaround. For the first half of the season, Gobuty primarily contributed on the defensive end of the court. But since starting for an injured Morrow against Villanova Jan. 31, the young guard has emerged as a possible threat on offense.
‘Marisa Gobuty has definitely improved the most since the beginning of the season,’ Hillsman said. ‘She’s been huge off the bench because she’s making shots now and creating space for other players. Now, on the floor you have to look at her as a viable scorer. If you don’t know where she is, she can make shots.’
Gobuty and the rest of the bench will need to make those jumpers consistently if the Orange has any crack at stunning the Blue Demons. Defensively, the unit will have to force turnovers and prevent its opponents from stringing together runs while the starters are on the sidelines.
Just like Michael, Morrow expects the understudies to step up their play and match the starters’ intensity tonight.
‘DePaul is a great team and they’re always gonna play us tough,’ Morrow said. ‘They’re gonna play hard, rebound the ball and get people in and out of the game. We need to be able to do the same and have the bench step up. If we got another win we’ll definitely be rolling.’
