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Syracuse’s Christianna Carr and Buffalo’s Dyaisha Fair held a 61-second 3-point shooting showdown in the middle of the second quarter. The two traded off consecutive 3-pointers — making two each, and the lead change based on who cashed in each respective 3.

Christianna entered Monday’s game tied for the team lead with nine 3-pointers made, and by halftime, she had already made four. But she had no choice as Fair was on a similar hot streak from long-range. While Christianna left the first half shooting four-for-six from beyond the arc, Fair missed just one of her eight 3 point attempts as Syracuse trailed the Bulls 48-44.

By the halfway point of the third quarter, Buffalo’s lead had increased to 10 points, 58-48, with Syracuse another seemingly routine 3-pointer away from contention. However, Eboni Walker missed her 3-point attempt and Buffalo secured the rebound, quickly sending the ball up the court to Summer Hemphill, who sunk her 3 from the top of the arc to give Buffalo its biggest lead of the game.

Syracuse (2-4, 0-1 Atlantic Coast) did not find another lead as it fell to Buffalo (2-2) 88-79 in a game that was defined by 3-point shooting. The Bulls had only made 14 3-pointers in their first three games, but on Monday, Buffalo made 13 3s, shooting 59%.

The Bulls’ scoring streak amounted to a 13-2 run in the third quarter, much like Minnesota’s 27-point third quarter on Sunday. The Bulls’ run, however, led to Syracuse’s 12 point deficit heading into the final quarter. After Hemphill’s clutch 3-pointer, two costly turnovers by the Orange sparked Buffalo’s run.

Loren Christie blocked Alaysia Styles’ layup attempt which allowed Hemphill to sink another quick 3-pointer at the other end. Najé Murray then conceded a passing turnover within the Buffalo paint, and Jazmine Young intercepted it and drove down the court for a quick layup.

Fair and Hemphill notched 34 and 28 points, respectively. The duo also scored a combined 11 three-pointers, something Syracuse’s season-high three-point shooting couldn’t contain. But what the Orange’s zone struggled with most was Buffalo’s speedy transition, despite being a team that relies on its speed.

“(Fair) had a really good game — she got going a little bit early,” acting head coach Vonn Read said. “We lost her in the zone a few times and she got going.”

The Orange shot 50% from 3-point range but conceded 19 turnovers. In the opening quarter, Chrislyn Carr allowed a costly turnover at center court, which Buffalo collected and sparked a possession that featured a missed layup from Cheyenne McEvans. But Hemphill collected the offensive rebound and the Bulls recycled possession. Hemphill then found Fair at the top of the arc who sank what would be a string of routine 3s.

Syracuse was also able to take advantage of its opponent’s turnovers, which led to 28 of Syracuse’s points. After Syracuse’s seven-point loss to Minnesota, Read remarked on the Orange’s improvement on turnovers. The Gophers allowed 20 turnovers, which led to 17 of SU’s points. Syracuse also conceded just eight turnovers after allowing at least 15 in its previous four games.

Buffalo entered Monday’s game allowing just 38 turnovers, ranked sixth nationally. But midway through the fourth quarter, Hemphill conceded Buffalo’s 19th turnover of the game and Murray stole it. Murray led a quick Orange attack and found Chrislyn along the right edge of the arc. Chrislyn’s jumper was good, making it a perfect five-for-five from 3-point range, and limiting Syracuse’s deficit to six points.

Syracuse has shown glimpses of its 3-point shooting progression throughout the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Against Minnesota, Syracuse sank seven of its 22 3-point attempts. Christianna, Chrislyn and Murray combined for six of them, scoring two each. But the Orange’s 3-point shooting faltered in the fourth quarter as they shot 0-for-8.

“I couldn’t do it without my teammates, they got me the ball and I just knocked down shots,” Chrislyn said. “All of us just got to play better defense from the start.”

Much like Sunday, Syracuse’s scoring relied mainly on its starters. Against Minnesota, Syracuse’s bench went scoreless. Against Buffalo, that bench was shortened with Jayla Thornton, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s all-time 3-point scorer, sidelined with an upper-body injury.

Then early in the fourth quarter, Chrislyn went down temporarily with an injury, and Syracuse’s plans for a final surge toward a comeback were diminished. More turnovers were committed and the Orange’s short bench couldn’t salvage the team from going winless in the Bahamas.

Syracuse finished at the bottom of the eight-team pool at the Battle for Atlantis tournament, cemented in dead last by former Orange basketball star Felisha Legette-Jack, now the head coach at Buffalo. Despite growing up in Syracuse and playing all four years with the Orange, she’s spent over 20 years away from her hometown and wanted to reward the Bulls with a well-deserved victory at the expense of her alma mater’s defeat.

“My heart is wide open for Orange when it comes to what we’ve done in the past,” Legette-Jack said postgame. “But this is my job here and this is my team, and I know how hard these people work.”

Eight days prior to tip-off, Legette-Jack became the first Syracuse female athlete to have her jersey number retired, with the ceremony held at halftime of the Orange’s 26-point defeat to Notre Dame. With the entire Buffalo team in attendance, it became a fortunate early scouting opportunity for Buffalo in a game where Syracuse was similarly exposed in transition.

“We definitely took notes during that game,” Hemphill said. “Just to be able to get an early scout on them, it definitely helped us this game.”

Published on November 22, 2021 at 9:28 pm

Contact Alex: ahcirino@syr.edu