Syracuse downed Bucknell 65-48 in the Dome Thursday night behind a 25 point performance from starting guard Dyaisha Fair.
Fair was sensational on both ends of the court, particularly in the first half. While the rest of the Orange squad struggled, Fair kept them in the game by scoring 20 of their 28 first half points. On top of her 25 points, Fair recorded four assists with just one turnover and three steals.
Syracuse struggled in the first half, scoring just six points in the first quarter, their lowest point total in a quarter so far this season. The Bucknell defense was suffocating, completely shutting down even the Orange’s best scorers.
The second quarter is when Fair flipped the switch. She picked apart the Bison defense with ease, giving her team the spark it needed to take an eight point lead into the half. However, the Orange knew they couldn’t win without the rest of the team contributing offensively.
Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack discussed the lackluster first quarter in her post-game press conference.
“The first quarter was really kind of stagnant,” said Legette-Jack. “I just loved our energy, but the energy didn’t connect with other energy to create the synergy.”
The energy did connect in the second half, though, as more Syracuse players began to contribute on both ends of the floor. Dariauna Lewis and Teisha Hyman were particularly notable contributors, supporting Fair in her scoring efforts in the second half.
After not seeing Georgia Woolley for a few games, something Coach Legette-Jack attributed to a bout of the flu, she earned her first start of the season. While she was limited in minutes, it was overall a decent showing for the sophomore guard.
Woolley followed Legette-Jack to Syracuse from Buffalo, and prior to Friday’s game, had come off the bench. Her coach had high praise for her after the game.
“Georgia’s special,” said Legette-Jack. “I think she’s just a special young lady, and as long as we’re winning, she’s excited.”
As expected, Bucknell’s leading scorer, Cecelia Collins, put up 18 points in a valiant effort to keep her team in the game. Keeping with the season’s trend, Collins played 35 minutes, more than anyone else on the Bucknell roster.
This win was a great way to bounce back and recover from the loss at Penn State on Monday. The timing couldn’t be better for a win like this given the two straight road tests the Orange are facing.
The Orange are back in action on Wednesday, November 30 at Purdue as a part of the ACC/B1G Challenge. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.