What to know about Miami before Sunday matchup with Syracuse
Miami women’s basketball returns just one player from last season’s roster and is 12-9 this season entering Sunday's matchup with Syracuse. Leonardo Eriman | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse women’s basketball is in a position that would’ve been hard to believe a few months ago — the Orange are well on their way to an NCAA Tournament berth. At 17-4 with eight games remaining, SU is a projected No. 8 seed in March Madness. Now, it just needs to take care of business down the stretch to punch its ticket to The Big Dance.
That, of course, is easier said than done, though. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, few games can really be considered sure things. But Syracuse will need to take advantage of every opportunity it gets against teams in the lower tier of the conference. So far, the Orange have; they’re 6-0 against teams under .500 in conference and 1-3 against teams above that mark.
Sunday’s matchup with Miami, which is currently 12th in the conference, is another important opportunity for the Orange to inch closer to an NCAA Tournament berth.
Here’s everything to know about the Hurricanes (12-9, 4-6 ACC) before their Sunday afternoon matchup with Syracuse (17-4, 7-3 ACC):
All-time series
Miami leads 20-15.
Last time they played
On Jan. 12, 2025, Syracuse took down Miami 66-61 at the JMA Wireless Dome for its first ACC win of the campaign. The Orange — who began the year 0-4 in conference play — never trailed and held off a late Miami comeback to improve to 7-9 overall.
Syracuse was primarily fueled by its bench. Kyra Wood led the way offensively for Syracuse, dropping 18 points in 20 minutes on 9-of-14 shooting, part of 34 total bench points from the Orange. Starting guard Georgia Woolley added 17 despite shooting just 4-of-13 from the field.
The Orange effectively slowed down one of the ACC’s best scorers in Haley Cavinder, who had a modest 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting and six turnovers. The Hurricanes shot just 33.8% from the field as a team, contributing to the fourth conference loss of their season.
The Hurricanes Report
Miami’s shown flashes throughout the 2025-26 campaign but just hasn’t found consistency. The Hurricanes enter Sunday’s contest at 12-9 overall and 4-6 in conference matchups.
They started ACC play at a modest 6-3 and hung tough with several of the country’s top squads, notably losing by just three to then-No. 19 Iowa and then-No. 24 Oklahoma State. The Hurricanes even picked up an early conference win over Virginia Tech — who blew out Syracuse in January.
Since, though, the Hurricanes have struggled in conference play, losing five of their last seven ACC contests, albeit against several top teams like Louisville and Duke.
All things considered, it’s an impressive turnaround for Miami, which returns just one contributor from last season. The Hurricanes lost 11 of their 12 players who saw minutes last season, including their leading scorer, Cavinder.
The Hurricanes reloaded with six transfers and five freshmen. So far, the best of the bunch have been sixth-year center Ra Shaya Kyle, who averages 15.9 points a game, and freshman guard Gal Raviv, who’s adding 13.4.
How Syracuse beats Miami
The simple answer to this question would be to just shoot as efficiently as the Orange did Thursday against Georgia Tech, although that’s a hefty ask. Syracuse lit up the stat sheet for a near-season-high 52.9% field goal percentage against the Yellow Jackets.
Against Miami, a team holding opponents to just 40.9% shooting from the field, that probably won’t be so easy. The key to Syracuse’s game is dominating the paint.
Like SU, the Hurricanes built around the rim. They shoot an efficient 51.8% on 2s, taking 40.6 attempts a game. Beyond the arc, though, they shoot a poor 28.6%. The Orange would rather run Miami out of the paint and force it to take outside shots than let it get comfortable down low.
A big part of that will be Uche Izoje’s presence in the paint. The freshman is averaging an ACC-high 2.9 blocks per game, helping the Orange hold opponents to just 42.3% shooting inside. Matched up against the 6-foot-6 Kyle, Izoje will have her hands full, but dominating inside the arc will be crucial to securing a road win Sunday.
Stat to know: 9.9
Syracuse has pestered teams all season on the offensive glass. The Orange average 17.6 offensive rebounds per game, the fifth-most in the nation. It’s been the driving factor behind their physical offensive identity.
Kyle may be one of the most likely candidates to put a stop to that. The Hurricanes’ center averages 9.9 rebounds per game, the second-best mark in the ACC. She stands three inches taller than Izoje and has averaged over 8.5 boards in her past three collegiate seasons.
As a team, the Hurricanes average 38.4 total rebounds and 26.6 defensive boards a game compared to SU’s 43 total rebounds and 25.4 defensive boards. Look for the matchup on the glass — spearheaded by Izoje and Kyle — to play a major role in this one.
Player to watch: Ra Shya Kyle, No. 0
If you haven’t picked up on it by now, Kyle will be the key piece in a potential Miami upset. The transfer center, who spent her last five years at Purdue and Florida, is likely one of the toughest matchups Izoje faces all season.
Kyle is on a torrid stretch in Miami’s last three ACC games, averaging 22 points, including a 30-point outing against Florida State on Jan. 11. She’s averaging a team-high 13.6 field goals a game in that span on 63.4% efficiency.
Perhaps her most dangerous skill, at least to Syracuse and Izoje, is her ability to draw fouls. Kyle is averaging about six free throws per game, nearly double the next closest teammate. One of Izoje’s biggest weaknesses is her inability to stay out of foul trouble — averaging 3.1 personal fouls per game — often making Felisha Legette-Jack pull her early.
Syracuse is a different team without Izoje on the court. If Kyle can force Legette-Jack to sit Izoje for extended periods of time, that would be a major boost for the Hurricanes.
Either way, for a Miami team that lives and dies in the paint, they’ll need a big performance from Kyle to have a shot Sunday.
