Support The Daily Orange this holiday season! The money raised between now and the end of the year will go directly toward aiding our students. Donate today.

After a two-game stretch against Power Five opponents — which Syracuse came away with two victories under its belt — the Orange returned to host Colgate last Wednesday. Like its other matchups against mid-major foes, SU dominated the Raiders start to finish in its 88-42 win.

Six days later, the Orange return to action against another mid-major foe, hosting Binghamton. Thus far, Syracuse has secured double-digit wins over each mid-major opponent it has faced. Riding a four-game win streak, SU will be looking to continue that trend — and possibly secure its tenth win of the season — against the Bearcats.

Here’s everything to know about Binghamton (6-3, 0-0 America East) before they head into the JMA Wireless Dome to take on Syracuse (9-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) Tuesday.

All-time series

Syracuse leads 12-1. Its lone loss came on Dec. 17, 2005, in a 74-52 defeat.

Last time they played

When the Bearcats last faced Syracuse on Dec. 18, 2024, it was a dominant victory for the Orange. SU poured in 87 points and cruised to a lopsided, 27-point win over Binghamton.

Georgia Woolley led the way with 18 points, but Journey Thompson, Izabel Varejão and Sophie Burrows all notched double-digit points. The Bearcats’ leading scorer — Yanniah Boyd — had only 13 points.

The Bearcats report

Last season, Binghamton didn’t have a single player average double-digit points per game, instead relying on a balanced diet of six players who averaged over six points per contest. The Bearcats still have six players averaging six points per game this year, but they’ve leveled up their scoring volume drastically thus far.

Bella Pucci and Kendall Bennett lead the way with 15.0 and 12.6 points per game, while Leah Middleton is also chipping in a respectable 9.4 points per contest. Binghamton only returned three of its primary starters — Pucci, Boyd and Kaia Goode — but has withstood its roster turnover well so far.

Bearcats’ head coach Mary Grimes is no stranger to Syracuse. Before making the jump to Binghamton for the 2024-25 season, she was at the helm of Le Moyne, leading it to an 18-15 record in its first Division I season.

How Syracuse beats Binghamton

Through ten games, the Orange force 22.2 turnovers per game — a mark ranked 24th in the nation. Binghamton is right there with them, though, snagging an average of 22 turnovers from its opponents. For SU to establish its dominance, it will have to win the turnover battle.

An area of weakness Syracuse can exploit against Binghamton is controlling the glass is — one of Syracuse’s strengths. The Bearcats only average 21.6 defensive boards per game, a mark that ranks 340th among 363 Division I squads.

The Orange, meanwhile, create second chance possessions better than almost any team in the country, ranking second with a staggering 18.6 offensive rebounds per game. Cleaning the glass has never been a problem for Uche Izoje and Co., and Binghamton offers another opportunity to dominate that category.

Stat to know: 1.3

For many of its contests, Syracuse has enjoyed a significant advantage over its opponent in the paint — courtesy of Izoje. The freshman center is averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and an ACC-leading 2.9 blocks per game — highlighted by her eight-block performance against SMU.

Binghamton won’t be able to change that. The Bearcats average a paltry 1.3 blocks per game. Izoje alone has doubled Binghamton’s block total this season. If the Orange choose to rely on the inside game, it’s difficult to imagine the Bearcats doing anything about it.

Player to watch: Bella Pucci, Guard, No. 20

Each year, the NBA gives out a Most Improved Player award, intended for a player who has taken a particularly large leap in their game since their previous season. If there was an equivalent award for Division I women’s basketball, it’s easy to make a case for the aforementioned Pucci to find herself on a shortlist for it.

As a sophomore, Pucci had a solid 2024-25 season, starting 21 of the Bearcats’ 30 games and averaging 9.3 points per game. She even earned an All-AEC Third-Team selection.

But as a junior, she’s taken her game to new heights. This season, Pucci is averaging 15.0 points per game — a 5.7-point increase — on 44.4% shooting from the field. She’s scored in double figures in eight of the Bearcats’ nine games, highlighted by her 29-point outburst in a 95-94 double-overtime win over Akron on Nov. 20.

Published on December 15, 2025 at 1:56 pm
Contact Mauricio: mjpalmar@syr.edu | @mpalmarDO