Sykes nets career-high 27 points, leads Syracuse past Virginia
During Sunday’s postgame press conference, Quentin Hillsman didn’t flinch when he told reporters that he takes credit for every win Syracuse gets, and blames Brittney Sykes for every loss.
Then, a small, wry grin appeared on his face. Hillsman wasn’t serious. It was a playful remark that went against every rule of conventional coaching.
A joke. But only somewhat.
Hillsman may not shove blame or take credit for any game, but he wasn’t shy about acknowledging the outcome of his team’s games often hinge on the play of his leading scorer.
“I think today was about Brittney Sykes, just willing us to win,” Hillsman said. “When we’re not scoring the ball, I tell her it’s her fault. I really do. And she’s a tough kid, and she takes it and continues to play hard.”
On Sunday, though, Sykes was scoring. The sophomore poured in 18 second-half points against Virginia (10-10, 3-4 Atlantic Coast), and it was enough to lead Syracuse (15-5, 4-3) to an 84-75 win over the Cavaliers in front of 745 at the Carrier Dome.
The 27 points marked a career-high, and her eight points in the final 8:15 gave the Orange enough separation to get the win.
“I have to be there for my team when needed,” Sykes said. “And I made sure that I was there for them in the first and the second half.”
The second half, though, has been where Sykes has shined this season. In Thursday’s 84-75 win over Clemson, Sykes scored 15 after notching just three in the first half. Against Georgia Tech on Jan. 12, she had 12 second-half points, while scoring just two in the opening stanza.
Sunday was no different, as she scored five points in the minute after the break.
“I don’t think it’s a mindset,” Sykes said. “Just more of me getting a sense of urgency. It’s the second half where you figure out what you did wrong in the first half, and you critique it and you fix it, and that’s how you build on what you learned.”
And after a 13-point Syracuse lead in the second half turned into a one-point deficit with 9:26 to play, Sykes showed exactly what she meant.
With the game tied at 61 with 8:20 to go, Sykes stood waiting, almost forgotten on the far right sideline. Brianna Butler had the ball at the top of the perimeter, and Sykes cut to the basket.
Butler found the small pocket of space between two defenders and Sykes caught the ball. She laid it in under a Virginia defender to give SU the lead for good.
“I’m a shooter, Brittney’s a driver,” said Butler, who finished with 16 points and 12 assists. “So they either have to step out to guard me for a shot, or they have to guard Brittney for a drive.”
Sykes, though, took exception to the comment, looking over at Butler after the press conference before asking, “I’m a driver?”
It’s not really a secret that Sykes can take it to the dish, as 19 of her 27 points were in the paint or from the foul line. But just because she can drive doesn’t mean she see’s herself as a driver.
Her last two games she’s made two 3-pointers, despite connecting on just one in the team’s first 18 games. Teams are leaving her open on the perimeter, and she’s starting to take advantage.
“Teams want me to shoot because they feel me going to the basket is my strongest suit,” Sykes said. “I have to just be smart enough to know that if they want me to shoot the 3, I have to make them guard me.”
Sykes doesn’t see herself as a driver or shooter. She see’s herself as a scorer, and that’s something she did with regularity against Virginia.
Hillsman didn’t credit Sykes as the reason Syracuse won.
But like any game that his team has played or will play, the result directly correlates to her performance.
“I tell her ‘you’ve got to score,’” Hillsman said. “‘When you don’t score, we lose. When you get nine, we lose. When you get 15, we win. And that’s kind of how it works out for us.’”
