Syracuse Orange
Overall rank: #30
Conference rank: Big East #8
Let it be said the Carrier Dome doesn’t just rock for men’s basketball and for football. Syracuse’s women’s basketball team was downright fearsome in the legendary facility, winning 20 of its 22 home matches. The problem with the Orange last year was its road schedule ended up costing the team in the long run, as Syracuse finished 25-10 overall. The good news? The 25-win season was the school’s second in three years. With a roster that includes plenty of newcomers in addition to established stars, the Orange look promising once again, but that Big East Conference schedule (9-7 last year) will be a beast for a team looking for a trip to the NCAA tournament.
2010-11: 25-10, 9-7
2010-11 Postseason: Lost to Toledo in Women’s NIT quarterfinals, 75-68
Coach: Quentin Hillsman, 67-36
Who’s Out:
Only two seniors graduated from the Syracuse program following last season. Guard Tasha Harris averaged just four points a game but was the team’s leader in assists (144) and a decent 3-point shooter (27-for-105, 25.7 percent). Erica Morrow averaged 10.1 points per game and had 109 assists, but she was also the team’s steals leader (65) and leading 3-point shooter (50 successful treys). Guard Chanieka Williams, who only appeared in 15 games last year, also graduated. Otherwise the roster is fairly stable and not plagued by people transferring to other schools or quitting the team, which should help Hillsman in the long run.
Who’s In:
Hillsman didn’t go the traditional route in recruiting, instead opting for an in-state player with no Division I experience to come to New York. Shanee Williams, officially a junior, comes to Syracuse after a 2010-11 season at Division II Monroe College where she averaged 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 steals and 4.1 assists per game. Although Tiffany Jones and Karen van den Nieuwendijk have been mentioned as recruits by Syracuse and by Hillsman, neither player is on the official 2011-12 roster at this time. If Jones is on the roster as the season starts, Hillsman earns a post player who should give the team some immediate success. She had 22 points and 10 rebounds as Nazareth Regional won the New York Federation Class AA championship last winter.
Who to Watch:
Four of the top leading scorers return to Syracuse, led by Kayla Alexander (14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game). The 6-4 junior center from Canada should be an intimidating inside presence. Iasia Hemingway, a 5-11 senior forward who was the team’s leading rebounder at 7.4 per game, will be a strong lower-post presence. Elashier Hall, a 5-11 junior guard, is a 38.2 percent shooter from the 3-point line, and 5-9 junior guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas is a strong presence on the offensive glass (96 offensive rebounds).
Final Projection:
With not a lot of holes to fill, Hillsman could be in for another 25-win season and even more success come tournament time. Syracuse’s bad luck against Big East foes a year ago was a big reason why it ended up in the Women’s NIT, and there’s no reason to believe that the Orange won’t be a postseason contender in 2012.
There aren’t too many tough tests on the non-conference schedule, save for a pair of potentially good games against Xavier on Dec. 18 and Oklahoma on Dec. 19. Otherwise, January and February is Big East time and that could be a tough one again for the Orange.
Postseason tournament projection: NCAA
Projected starting lineup:
Kayla Alexander, Center, Junior, 14.9 points per game
Iasia Hemingway, Forward, Senior, 259 total rebounds last season
Elashier Hall, Guard, Junior, 9.8 points per game
Carmen Tyson-Thomas, Guard, Junior, 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds last year
Shakeya Leary, Forward, Redshirt Freshman, 5.3 rebounds per game
Madness 2012 WNBA Draft Recruit Rankings:
#37 Iasia Hemingway
