Observations from Syracuse’s 25-point win over BC: Izoje stars, Burrows out
Against a poor Boston College team, Syracuse rested star guard Sophie Burrows. In her absence, SU's bench and other starters, including sophomore Shy Hawkins, stepped up to produce a dominant win. Avery Magee | Photo Editor
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Syracuse had one last test. Technically.
SU’s final test really came Thursday against Notre Dame, when the Orange dropped two in a row for the first time this season. But to get to Duluth, Georgia, where the Atlantic Coast Conference begins next week, Syracuse had to get through a matchup with ACC cellar dweller Boston College.
It wasn’t supposed to be anything special. The Orange topped this same BC team by 34 points 24 days ago at Conte Forum. On Sunday, SU did nearly the same thing. The Orange handled the Eagles from start to finish for a 25-point win to cap the regular season.
Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (22-7, 12-6 ACC) 90-65 victory over Boston College (5-26, 1-17 ACC) Sunday in the JMA Wireless Dome:
Burrows out, who steps up?
Less than 24 hours before SU’s clash with BC, Sophie Burrows was ruled out with a left-hand injury. She sustained it late in the Orange’s loss to the Fighting Irish, and a team spokesperson said it was more of a precautionary measure to keep her out Sunday.
But as Burrows sat on the bench with sweatpants and a white T-shirt for the first time this season, someone else had to step up. Would it be Journey Thompson, Burrows’ roommate, who was making her fourth start of the year? Maybe Maddy Potts, another Australian who similarly has a deadeye from 3-point range?
Syracuse’s bench had been lacking recently, combining for just eight points and seven turnovers in its last two games. Yet against BC, everyone stepped up. There wasn’t one single player who stood out. It was bound to happen, as the Orange scored 93 points in their last meeting with the Eagles.
Potts knocked down two triples, while Thompson added eight points in 21 minutes. Meanwhile, aside from Uche Izoje, Dominique Darius and Laila Phelia, who undeniably join Burrows as SU’s core four, six more players scored.
SU’s bench depth was a big question mark entering Sunday. Yes, it’s Boston College. But it’s nevertheless an encouraging sign to see players who’d been quiet in recent games pitch in Sunday.
Izoje finishes how she started
What a season it’s been for Izoje, Syracuse’s freshman center, who exploded as possibly SU’s best player this season. It was nearly unarguable. Darius had her crowning moments, which included a game-winning 3 against Cal in triple overtime. Phelia dropped a career-high 38 points against Virginia to seal the Orange’s lone Quad 1 win. But Izoje, who entered Sunday with 12 double-doubles and seven ACC Rookie of the Week awards, was at a different level.
She scored double figures in seven of SU’s first eight games. She truly never slowed down, and Sunday punctuated the ridiculous first campaign for the Nigerian native. Izoje scored 24 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for her seventh performance with 20 or more points.
Her impact was immediate, as she scored four of Syracuse’s first 10 points, including a second-chance tip-in after grabbing a rebound off a Thompson missed jumper. After one quarter, her seven points led SU, and she stayed scorching in the second quarter, adding on eight more.
Izoje was finally subbed out for the first time 14 minutes into play. At that point, she already had 15 points on five buckets, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. Felisha Legette-Jack pumped her fist following an Izoje tough layup from the right block. It forced BC to call a timeout down 33-16 four minutes into the second quarter, its largest deficit of the first half.
Izoje kept it going in the second half, immediately shouting at Darius to feed a pass to her by the rim, which she nearly tapped in. Though she couldn’t convert what would’ve been a highlight-reel-esque play, she still hit a layup and assisted Shy Hawkins for four of SU’s first seven points out of the break.
By the time Aurora Almón replaced Izoje with 2:52 left in the third quarter, Izoje sat with 24 points and 12 boards. Although she didn’t play in the fourth quarter, it was a fitting regular-season ending for the freshman, who’s put together similar performances all year.
Taking a trip
The Orange will head to Georgia this week for the ACC Tournament, where it’ll likely be a No. 5 or No. 6 seed. But on Sunday, SU decided to take an early trip, this one around the court illegally, as it was called for six travels.
It’s an elementary part of basketball, one that isn’t often called after high school. But the Orange couldn’t stay connected to the ground, which contributed to their 15 turnovers. Giveaways were the only statistic in which Boston College outpaced SU Sunday, with the Eagles committing just nine turnovers.
Had it not been for the travels, Syracuse’s 25-point win would’ve only increased. And the blunders started early and transpired often. Just 40 seconds in, Shy Hawkins’ bad pass found the hands of Kaia Henderson, but the Eagles’ guard couldn’t convert. Though SU played cleanly for the next five minutes, it ended the first quarter with five turnovers, including four travels in the final four minutes.
Not much changed in the second quarter. Oyindamola Akinbolawa was called for an offensive foul five minutes into the frame, and Thompson and Nelson ended the half with two more travel calls, SU’s ninth and 10th giveaways.
The Orange were lucky to be facing an inferior opponent like BC, which couldn’t capitalize on their mistakes. In their February meeting, SU’s 11 turnovers resulted in just seven points for the Eagles. Through 20 minutes Sunday, Syracuse’s 10 turnovers led to just eight points.
But still, an 11-point halftime lead didn’t properly encapsulate what SU was capable of. Syracuse’s turnovers must’ve been addressed at halftime, because the Orange’s next one wouldn’t come until just over four minutes into the third quarter. They only added four more in the final 10 minutes.
SU won’t play a team as poor as BC going forward, and the margin for error tightens. Although it didn’t hurt them much Sunday, turnovers should be a point of emphasis for the Orange as tournament play begins.
Looking ahead
Syracuse breezed past the Eagles from the opening tip to the final whistle, so let’s look ahead.
The Orange will likely be a No. 5, No. 6 or No. 7 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament. All three spots would be SU’s most favorable positioning since two years ago, when, as a No. 3 seed, the Orange fell to No. 6 seed Florida State in the ACC Quarterfinals.
The biggest thing to note Sunday was Virginia Tech’s one-point loss to Virginia in Charlottesville. The Orange beat the Cavaliers in mid-January but fell to the Hokies by 20 points three days earlier. With VT’s win, SU drops down a spot in the ACC standings, currently sitting in sixth place.
Notre Dame, which Syracuse lost to Thursday, takes on No. 10 Louisville at 4 p.m. Both squads beat the Orange, but a Cardinals win would surely put SU ahead of the Fighting Irish. If Hannah Hidalgo works enough magic to push ND in front, Syracuse will fall to the No. 7 seed. In either spot, SU will start its ACC Tournament run next Thursday.
