Pemberton: SU’s stellar season isn’t complete without signature win in March
Syracuse women’s basketball enjoyed a stellar turnaround this season, but hasn’t held its own against most Quad 1 teams. Courtesy of the Atlantic Coast Conference
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Syracuse couldn’t have asked for much more in the 2025-26 season. The Orange rebounded from a 12-win campaign for their first 20-win season in two years. They nailed just about every transfer portal addition. They uncovered the best freshman in the conference. Now, they’re headed to the NCAA Tournament.
But something about this season — one that’s been riddled with the most unpredictable bits of success — still feels incomplete. It feels like Syracuse hasn’t played its best yet. Plus, it’s lacking a true signature win.
Despite a 23-8 record, the Orange went 1-7 in Quad 1 games. Their only win was against a Virginia team that snuck into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed. The seven losses came by an average of 17 points. Syracuse has hardly even played a complete four quarters against a team in the top 40 of the NET Rankings.
Don’t get me wrong, this has undoubtedly been a successful season for Syracuse. The fact the Orange are still playing meaningful games this late in March is an accomplishment few could’ve predicted at the start of the year. But the reality is, SU hasn’t reached the level of top opponents this year. Until Syracuse does, this season — one that’s seemingly gone right at every turn — won’t feel complete or go on much longer.
Lucky for the Orange, the NCAA Tournament is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Meeting No. 8 seed Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament First Round Saturday provides a chance for SU to regain national relevance. A win over superstar center Audi Crooks and the Cyclones would spark a crucial tailwind. Even putting up a fight against top-seeded UConn, which looms in Round 2, would rewrite the narrative.
“They said that we’re good enough to be here,” Legette-Jack said of being selected for the tournament. “Now, we gotta prove we’re good enough to stay.”
That’s precisely been Syracuse’s dilemma all season. The Orange are clearly good enough to contend but haven’t shown they’re good enough to beat any powerhouses.
During Atlantic Coast Conference play, Syracuse turned into the conference’s proverbial gatekeeper. The Orange seemingly held the key that unlocks the upper echelon of the ACC.
SU didn’t beat a single team seeded above it in the conference tournament. It also didn’t lose to a single team seeded below it. A game against Syracuse was almost like a test of who was legit. Beat the Orange, and that means you’re really good. Lose to them, you might contend, but you probably won’t make much real noise.
That applied to the NCAA Tournament, too. The Orange only beat one team seeded No. 8 or higher in the NCAA Tournament: Clemson.
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Otherwise, Syracuse struggled in almost every Quad 1 game, especially against ranked opponents. It was thrashed by Michigan, Duke and Louisville twice. Its best performance was an overtime loss to a good North Carolina team, but it only stayed afloat down the stretch thanks to an Uche Izoje masterclass.
Simply put, Syracuse has failed to show up in big games this year. Sure, it’s taken care of business at just about every turn, picking up five Quad 2 wins and going undefeated in Quad 3 and 4 play. At some point, to show you’re legit, you have to hang with the big dogs.
That’s something other ACC teams of SU’s caliber have done. Take Clemson, which the Orange beat in February. The Tigers stunned Duke to snap its 16-game winning streak. Virginia knocked off Louisville late in the year, too. There’s optimism that these teams can go on a run in March because they’ve shown they can beat top teams. Syracuse hasn’t… yet.
I say “yet” because, as I mentioned, I don’t believe Syracuse has played to its fullest potential. The Orange are at their best when their star scorers are churning, they’re rebounding well and their bench is thriving when needed.
SU is unquestionably top-heavy. Aside from Izoje, Dominique Darius, Laila Phelia and Sophie Burrows, the Orange don’t have another consistent offensive contributor. Subtract Darius from that equation — who’s been ruled out for the tournament with a left hand injury — and their offense is now three players. That makes playing your best game a lot more difficult.
But if depth pieces Journey Thompson, Shy Hawkins, Maddy Potts, Olivia Schmitt and Jasmyn Cooper can contribute — whether it be on the glass or from 3-point range — the Orange will be a far better team.
That — or some ridiculous performances from Izoje — is what SU will need to grab a signature win in March.
The Orange were in a somewhat similar situation two seasons ago when they traveled to Storrs as a No. 6 seed and teed off against UConn in Round 2. While they lost, SU stayed close with a team that finished two points short of reaching the national championship.
However, SU failed miserably to capitalize on that late-season performance in the 2024-25 season. But Felisha Legette-Jack clearly learned from her mistakes, constructing this year’s roster through the transfer portal and with a home-run freshman signing.
In all likelihood, the Orange will lose both Darius and Phelia this offseason and look to the portal for replacements. A win on the national stage this March could make SU look like a more attractive destination. Because Legette-Jack is clearly building something with strong momentum.
And if the Orange can take advantage of just that — momentum — this could be an even scarier team next year. Last season’s disappointment seemingly interrupted SU’s forward momentum from its 24-win 2023-24 campaign, but this season got it back on track.
The best teams, though, will be remembered for how they performed against the Goliaths. And while Syracuse’s success this season is encouraging, it’ll feel unsubstantiated if the Orange don’t capitalize on the opportunity to compete in March.
It won’t be easy, especially given SU’s track record against Quad 1 teams this year, plus the absence of Darius. But Saturday is Syracuse’s final chance to prove it belongs in the NCAA Tournament. Otherwise, this special season will end without its crowning moment.
Harris Pemberton is an Assistant Sports Editor at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at harrispemberton@gmail.com or on X @HarrisPemb6.
