Syracuse women’s basketball enters the season with a familiar centerpiece and a middling ACC forecast.
The Orange were picked to finish seventh in the league in Tuesday’s preseason vote, a step below where they landed a year ago after going 24-9 overall and 12-6 in ACC play. That finish tied Syracuse for fifth in the conference before the season ended with a blowout loss to UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
At the center of the Orange’s outlook is Uche Izoje, Syracuse’s lone selection to the Preseason All-ACC team. The center earned first-team All-ACC honors as a freshman last season, when she put up 15.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Syracuse brings back several other important pieces as well. Junior forward Keira Scott, senior guard Angelica Velez, junior guard Olivia Schmitt and junior wing Sky Hawkins are all among the returning group with Izoje.
The roster also has a different look this year thanks to a handful of transfers. Syracuse added Tyi Skinner, a 5-6 guard from SMU; Emely Rodriguez, a 6-0 transfer from Iowa; and Sarah Rambus, a 6-3 transfer from Oregon.
The Orange also had notable departures. Junior guard Sophie Burrows transferred within the conference to North Carolina, while guards Laila Phelia and Dominque Darius, two of the team’s top three scorers last season, have exhausted their eligibility.
Syracuse opened exhibition play Monday night with an 88-60 loss to UConn.
The regular season starts Tuesday, November 3, against Sacred Heart at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Across the rest of the conference, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo was named preseason player of the year and led the All-ACC team voting. The full Preseason All-ACC team also included Duke’s Toby Fournier, Virginia’s Kymora Johnson, NC State’s Khamil Pierre and Zoe Brooks, Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts and Imari Berry, Georgia Tech’s Talayah Walker and California’s Lulu Twidale.
In the predicted order of finish, Duke was picked first, followed by Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, NC State, Virginia and Syracuse. Virginia Tech, Clemson, California, Miami, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Florida State, SMU, Wake Forest, Pitt and Boston College rounded out the ballot.
In Other News...
Syracuse Has A Kicking Problem Fran Brown Cant Ignore
Syracuses kicking game has become one of the clearest problem spots in a season where little margin already exists. The Orange have missed more field goals per game than anyone in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season, and the issue showed up again in a recent loss that included missed kicks and a botched punt. Fran Brown said after the game that the special teams struggles were part of what went wrong, and the staff is now trying to steady a unit that has repeatedly left points on the field.
Freshman Shay Barker has been named the starting kicker going forward, giving Syracuse at least some clarity at a position that has been in flux. Even with that decision, the bigger question is whether the Orange can turn enough of those scoring chances into points to change outcomes in close games. In a season where every possession matters, the kicking game has stopped being a side note and become something Brown cant afford to keep watching unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Louisville With One Problem Nobody Trusts
The pregame conversation around Syracuses trip to Louisville has centered on two things that can tilt a college football Saturday in a hurry: quarterback stability and whether the Orange can keep up with a Cardinals offense that has earned plenty of respect. A panel of sports reporters and analysts leaned heavily toward Louisville in their predictions, and the concern for Syracuse was not just winning straight up but even staying close enough to cover the spread.
For Syracuse, that kind of consensus puts the spotlight on a problem that has lingered all season. The quarterback situation has been unsettled, and against a Louisville team viewed as dangerous on offense, every small mistake becomes a larger issue. It leaves the Orange heading into the matchup with little outside confidence and a lot to prove before anyone is willing to trust them in a game like this. [Read more 🡒]
Carmelo Anthony Just Gave Syracuse Fans Another Reason To Feel Close
Carmelo Anthony keeps finding ways to stay connected to Central New York, and his latest move feels especially personal. The former Syracuse star recently bought a nearly 60-acre property in Brookfield, New York, giving him a rural retreat that includes a farmhouse, cabins, a chalet and a large pond with recreational features.
Anthony shared a video giving fans a look at the place, and his son Kiyan said the purchase was meant to serve as a family retreat. For Syracuse supporters who still claim Carmelo as one of their own, it is another reminder that the bond between Anthony and the region has never really gone away. [Read more 🡒]