The Syracuse women’s basketball team takes on Coppin State Thursday night in the JMA Wireless Dome following a comeback victory at Yale this past weekend.
After making some halftime adjustments, the Orange were able to successfully stage a second half comeback in New Haven.
The win against the Bulldogs was Syracuse’s first road win of the season. The Orange spent the majority of the game playing from behind, something they’ve rarely had to do this season. This was largely a result of their struggling offense in the first half, which saw Dyaisha Fair record just two points.
Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack spoke about what playing hard for 40 minutes means to her team.
“We know that we have to put two halves together,” said Legette-Jack. “Yale is a very cerebral team, a very smart team. We had to adjust.”
Coppin State comes into the matchup at the Dome 2-7 on the season. Unlike Syracuse, the Eagles have faced an ACC opponent already; they fell to Pitt 56-41 in their first game of the season. Pitt is the only Power 5 opponent the Eagles will have faced coming into their matchup against Syracuse.
Something to keep an eye on during this matchup is the height of both teams. Coppin State is a tall team, with the average height lingering just above 5’10”. Syracuse’s average height is just below 5’10”, giving Coppin State a very slight height advantage. Coach Legette-Jack has repeatedly characterized her team as a rebounding team, so overcoming the Eagles’ height under the rim is a must.
Most recently, the Eagles fell to William & Mary 84-81 in overtime. Their offensive leader, sophomore guard Jewel Watkins, scored a season high 35 points in the loss, far above her season average of 13.2.
Junior guard Mossi Staples acts as a facilitator on both ends of the court, leading the team in both assists and steals.
Coach Legette-Jack had high praise for her upcoming opponent when speaking with the media earlier this week.
“We want to try to run with this team that’s pretty darn good,” said Legette-Jack. “Their record doesn’t show it, but they really are.”
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome. The game will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra.