Previewing Syracuse women’s basketball’s ACC/SEC Challenge vs. Auburn
Auburn has surged to an 8-1 start this season, its best since 2018-19, with its lone loss by five points to an undefeated Oregon team. Eli Schwartz | Staff Photographer
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Entering its matchup with Howard Sunday, Syracuse was in unfamiliar territory. For the first time this season, the Orange were coming off a loss. SU couldn’t afford to spiral into a losing streak — like it did on five separate occasions last season.
So, the Orange didn’t look back after leading 10-9 seven minutes into the first quarter in a 78-62 win over the Bison. Eight players scored for SU, prompting head coach Felisha Legette-Jack to refer to her squad as a “go-to team,” a stark difference from having just one “go-to player.”
Now, the Orange have a chance to show off that versatility on a bigger stage against Auburn in the ACC/SEC Challenge Wednesday. The Tigers also have stability up and down their roster, with six players averaging more than seven points a game. If SU can execute more effectively across all 40 minutes, it has a serious chance at securing a crucial nonconference victory.
Here’s everything to know about Auburn (8-1, Southeastern) before its matchup with Syracuse (6-1, Atlantic Coast) Wednesday in the JMA Wireless Dome:
All-time series
Auburn leads 5-0.
Last time they played
It’s been almost 21 years since the Orange and Tigers last faced off. On Dec. 19, 2004, playing in the Manley Field House, Syracuse couldn’t contain Auburn’s trio of Nicole Louden, Louise Emeagi and Natasha Brackett, who combined for 37 of the Tigers’ 48 points. It was Auburn’s lowest point total that season, but the Orange still fell 48-35.
The Tigers’ 55-33 rebounding advantage overshadowed Lauren Kohn’s team-high 12 points for SU. Auburn also registered 17 second-chance points, while Syracuse managed just four. The loss dropped the Orange to 6-3, but it served as a bad omen for their 14-16 campaign, just a year before Quentin Hillsman replaced second-year head coach Keith Cieplicki.
The Tigers report
Auburn is one of the country’s more proficient teams when it comes to spreading the rock. The Tigers have six players averaging at least 20 minutes per game, three of whom are scoring in double figures.
After a 2024-25 season in which the Tigers went 12-18 — matching SU’s record — Auburn reconstructed nearly its entire roster. The Tigers welcomed 11 newcomers, sporting a fresh look under first-year head coach Larry Vickers. Vickers led Norfolk State to a 177-99 record from 2016-25. He’s now brought that winning pedigree to Auburn, which stands 8-1 with a lone five-point loss to an undefeated Oregon team.
With a scattered offense, the Tigers have been guided by defense. They allow 51.9 points a game, the nation’s 14th-best mark, per HerHoopStats, and have forced a 34.2% field goal clip to opponents, ranking 30th. They’ve also earned 12.4 steals per game, top 30 in Division I.
Nine games in, Auburn has displayed two versions of itself. There’s the iteration that fights to the final buzzer — displayed in an overtime win over Charlotte and narrow victories versus UNC Greensboro, Georgia State, Rutgers and Cal — and the one that holds a commanding lead by the half — seen in 40-plus point wins against Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State. Which version takes the floor on any given night is a toss-up.
How Syracuse beats Auburn
SU has finally reached the turning point in its season when it plays more juggernauts than pushovers. Besides the Invesco QQQ Women’s Showcase, where it faced Utah and Michigan, Syracuse’s campaign has been relatively effortless. Now’s when it gets hard.
For the Orange to take down the Tigers, they’ll need to be extremely efficient on offense. SU can’t afford to miss as many shots as it did against its only Power Four competition so far. Then, Syracuse shot 32% and 29%. Winning only happens if the ball goes inside the hoop.
The Orange also need to establish their identity on the glass. SU has only been outrebounded once, but that deficit contributed to its loss to the Wolverines. Auburn has just five players over 6 feet tall, a large discrepancy to Syracuse’s 11. If the Orange let the Tigers get second chances by winning the rebounding battle, SU could be in trouble.
Stat to know: 9.8
Even with plenty of scoring options, the Tigers don’t rack up many assists. They average 9.8 per game, 332nd of 363 D-I teams, per HerHoopStats. Most of Auburn’s shot creation has come off the dribble, as Ja’Mia Harris’ 2.1 assists per game top the Tigers.
Only 39.3% of Auburn’s shots are assisted, the sixth-worst mark in the country. Legette-Jack has talked about pace, using Utah and Michigan’s high-powered offenses as examples. With the Tigers finding success without passing the ball, Syracuse may be handed its toughest test yet in keeping up defensively.
Player to watch: Arek Angui, center, No. 23
Abbie Boutilier, a 6-foot-10 center at Eastern Illinois, is recognized as the tallest player in D-I women’s basketball. But Auburn’s Arek Angui isn’t far behind. The South Sudan native only plays 10.3 minutes a game, but has shown she can make a difference in her limited opportunities.
Standing at 6-foot-9, Angui is averaging just 2.4 points per game. Although she’s regularly limited, she’s had longer spurts with three performances of at least 15 minutes this season. In Auburn’s win over Mississippi Valley State, Angui even recorded her first-career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Uche Izoje has been one of Syracuse’s offensive cornerstones so far. But 10 or more minutes of pressure from Angui can disrupt Izoje and SU, making her a dangerous threat down low on both sides of the ball.
