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After losing back-to-back road games to No. 1 Louisville and unranked Clemson, Syracuse returned to the Carrier Dome on Thursday to face Pittsburgh for the first time this season. While SU’s slow start against the Tigers resulted in a 25-point halftime deficit, the Orange jumped out to a 15-point lead just five minutes into its matchup with the Panthers. 

Pittsburgh began to crawl back in the second half and eventually cut SU’s lead to just four points. But after a long rebound run down by Digna Strautmane, an outlet pass to Emily Engstler leading to a foul and a couple of free throws, SU’s lead stretched to 57-51.

Head coach Quentin Hillsman alternated between implementing full-court presses and extending his zone to limit the potential of 3-point shooters to open the fourth quarter. That press led to a couple of Pitt turnovers as Syracuse extended its lead, eventually defeating Pittsburgh 80-57. In the final minutes, Syracuse finished on a 27-6 run.

Here are three takeaways from Syracuse’s first win in the last three games:

Stifling defense

Pitt’s possessions resulted in passes around the arc as the shot clock dwindled in the first half. Eventually, with five seconds or less to shoot, the Panthers would be forced to try a contested shot over the outstretched arms of a Syracuse defender. Four of those attempts in the opening 20 minutes were blocked, as Pittsburgh struggled to score over 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso.

But Cardoso wasn’t the only Syracuse player to impact Pitt shots in the opening half. In the second quarter, the Panthers possessed the ball in the left corner, but after hoisting up a 3, it was blocked by Priscilla Williams. The Panthers maintained possession and, with the shot clock again closing in on 0, drove baseline. That shot was then blocked by Engstler. 

Besides occasional open 3’s after Syracuse pressed, the Panthers had few open looks. While its interior offense struggled, Pitt had difficulty finding openings to exploit in Hillsman’s zone defense.

Returning contributors

For the first time since SU’s 83-70 victory over Boston College on Dec. 20, Amaya Finklea-Guity suited up for the Orange. In the senior’s five minutes, she provided a short reprieve to Cardoso.

For her first basket in over a month, SU’s center called for a pass into the low post from the top of the key. As soon as Finklea-Guity caught the ball, she dropped her shoulders and took two power dribbles to her right. With Williams open for an outlet pass on the right wing, Finklea-Guity never looked toward the freshman.

Instead, Finklea-Guity lowered her head, dipped her shoulders and powered past her defender. Her strong offensive move to the bucket rattled the rim as the ball caromed around it and eventually dropped through the net. 

Sophomore Taleah Washington was an early contributor on Thursday, which was also her first game since Dec. 20. Less than five minutes into the game, Syracuse swung the ball around the three-point arc to a wide-open Washington on the right wing. With separation from her defender, Washington caught the pass, squared her feet and launched a 3. 

After the ball dropped through the net, Syracuse’s early lead extended to 20-5. After playing four games last week, Hillsman mentioned how tiring the schedule was for his team. But with Washington and Finklea-Guity back on the floor, SU looked energized.

Mangakahia struggles continue

Fifth-year senior Tiana Mangakahia played just 26 minutes on Thursday. After committing seven turnovers against Clemson on Sunday, Mangakahia finished with five against the Panthers. Mangakahia sat out last season as she recovered from chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.

“I’m definitely not 100%,” Mangakahia said on Wednesday. “Some days I feel amazing, and other days my body just does not want to move. I don’t know if I’ll ever be, I think I’ll definitely be towards there, just depends on the day.”

With Washington back in the rotation, Mangakahia was able to sit more than in most games this season. While Hillsman did press on occasion against Pitt, he generally allowed his guards to defend in the half-court rather than cover the full-court as they did against Louisville and Clemson. 

However, in the fourth quarter, Mangakahia was forced to sit at a pivotal point as Pitt continued to trim SU’s lead. After having a 3-point attempt blocked, Mangakahia inadvertently committed a fourth foul as her defender lept for the rebound before tumbling over the back of the fifth-year senior. After the foul, Mangakahia looked up in disbelief at the referee before walking to the bench, sitting down and staring straight ahead.

Published on January 28, 2021 at 8:17 pm

Contact Thomas: [email protected] | @ThomasShults_