Syracuse women's basketball improved to 7-2 on the season after a huge 93-75 win at home against Coppin State on Thursday night. Dyaisha Fair had her best offensive showing of the season, scoring 27 points and adding six assists.
The Orange got off to a slow start, falling behind 10-2 in just the first three minutes of play. It was Fair, however, that got the Orange going. By the end of the first quarter, the guard already had 12 points.
This was just what the rest of the Orange squad needed to get going on both ends of the court. In the end, two other players would put up double digit scoring performances. Teisha Hyman and Asia Strong had 20 and 16 points, respectively.
For the Eagles, their two star players, Mossi Staples and Jewel Watkins, posed quite the challenge to the Orange defense. In the first quarter, it was Staples that had the Orange defense jammed up. She hit three shots from beyond the arch in the first quarter and ended the game with 21 total points.
Watkins showed off her versatility Thursday night, finding ways to score from all over the floor. As the team’s leading scorer, she was the intended shooter on most of the plays the Eagles ran. The Orange defense, however, prepared for this, often double teaming her or locking down those trying to pass to her.
While the starters accounted for much of Syracuse’s offensive production, one bench player in particular was key to the win. Off the bench, Asia Strong gave her best performance of the season with 16 points in just 20 minutes of action. This earned her the hard hat, an honor bestowed on the player who particularly stood out in a victory.
“I think that Asia’s a person that can watch the game for a little bit, and then come in and really do some fun things,” Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack said following the victory. “For our team, you know, sixth player of the year, she has her name written all over it.”
Coach Legette-Jack also spoke on Dyaisha Fair’s role as a leader to this Orange squad. Despite this being Fair’s first year with the program as a transfer, her coach had high praise for the way she leads her team.
“She’s just a quiet young lady,” Legette-Jack said. “Not necessarily speaking with her voice, but with her body language and, you know, her selflessness is when she goes and tries to get buckets for us.”
The Orange will be back in action this Sunday in the JMA Wireless Dome when they take on Wagner. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.