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Syracuse last played on Dec. 8, suffering a 93-62 blowout loss to then-No. 10 Notre Dame. The Orange were dominated on the glass and couldn’t keep up with the Fighting Irish after the first quarter.

SU’s loss marked its third in its last four games, a stretch where it has faced depth issues in the front court. On Dec. 4 against Texas A&M, center Izabel Varejao sat for the final three quarters. Most recently against Notre Dame, forward Kyra Wood played a season-low 10 minutes for unspecified reasons.

Now, Syracuse hits the road to face Binghamton for its penultimate nonconference game Wednesday. In their last five games, the Bearcats are 4-1, winning three of those by double digits.

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (4-6, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) faces Binghamton (6-4, 0-0 America East):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 8-1.

Last time they played…

Syracuse defeated Binghamton 92-59 on Nov. 14, 2022. The Orange opened the first quarter with a 24-10 lead and never trailed. Guard Teisha Hyman swiped three steals as SU forced the Bearcats to force 23 turnovers. Dyaisha Fair paced Syracuse’s scoring with 19 points. The Orange shot 50% from the floor compared to the Bearcats’ 31%. SU dominated inside, scoring 68 points in the paint.

The Bearcats report

After suffering four straight losing seasons, Binghamton hired Mary Grimes as its next head coach in April 2024. Grimes last coached at Le Moyne, where she was named the 2023-24 Northeast Conference Coach of the Year. So far this season, Grimes has led the Bearcats to six wins through 10 games.

Binghamton won its first two games before dropping three straight contests in mid-November. Following the slide, the Bearcats bounced back with three consecutive wins, each by double digits. Binghamton dropped its matchup at Buffalo on Dec. 4, but following an 11-day break, defeated Siena by two points.

Guard Jaydn Weltz leads the Bearcats offensively with 12 points per game while Le Moyne transfer Leah Middleton (10.9) has chipped in the second-highest scoring average. Both guards have propelled Binghamton to 9.8 steals per game, which ranks 59th in the nation, per HerHoopStats.

With its aggressive defensive style, Binghamton has gotten in trouble with fouls. The Bearcats are averaging the 38th most fouls per game (14.4) in the country, which has allowed opponents to take 55 trips to the free throw line, slotting in at the 45th-highest rate in Division I, per HerHoopStats.

How SU beats Binghamton

Among the bright spots in Syracuse’s loss to Notre Dame was Sophie Burrows refinding her shooter’s touch. Burrows had shot 2-of-20 in her previous three games but ended her woes with 13 points against the Fighting Irish. With SU’s frontcourt struggling to stay on the court, Burrows and Georgia Woolley need to provide consistency for the Orange at guard.

Syracuse’s top-50-ranked offensive rebounding can also lift it over Binghamton. In the Bearcats’ 23-point loss to Buffalo, they were out-rebounded 37-31. For SU to get out to an early lead, it will need to take advantage of Binghamton, which is ranked in the bottom 50 in defensive rebounding.

Stat to know: 22.8%

Turnovers have proved costly to Binghamton this season. The Bearcats’ 22.8% turnover rate ranks 278th in the nation per HerHoopStats. Binghamton has committed at least 15 turnovers in three of its four losses, including surrendering over 20 to Buffalo and St. Bonaventure. Two of its top-scoring guard left the Bearcats after last season, and ball-handling has proved to be a challenge.

Player to watch: Jadyn Weltz, guard, No. 24

While the Bearcats’ loss of their top-scoring guards has led to turnover issues, Weltz has ensured their offense would take a step forward. Binghamton has increased its points per game to an average of 62.3 this season and Weltz has become its leading scorer. Weltz’s breakout has come from 3-point range, where she has a team-high 18 3s at a career-high 34% rate.

Published on December 17, 2024 at 6:51 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32