To support student journalism and the content you love, become a member of The Daily Orange today.

Syracuse returns to the JMA Wireless Dome to host No. 7 Notre Dame in its toughest test of the season so far. The Orange are coming off of a two-game road trip, where they defeated Clemson and Boston College for their first two conference wins away from home.

It took large runs in both games for SU to seize control of both games. Against Clemson, Syracuse utilized a 24-1 run stretching from the end of the second quarter and into the third, while against the Eagles, SU started the third quarter on a 15-3 run. Both Clemson and BC cut SU’s double-digit deficits to four and three, respectively, in the fourth quarter, but the Orange prevailed.

Now, seeking its fourth straight win and its first win over a ranked opponent this season, Syracuse faces the Fighting Irish, one of the best teams in the country and SU’s second top-10 game this season.

Here’s everything to know about No. 7 Notre Dame (13-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast):

All time series

Notre Dame leads 36-3

Last time they played

Syracuse traveled to Notre Dame on Jan. 27, 2022 in search of its second conference win through eight ACC games. Despite trailing by just eight at halftime and five at the end of the third quarter, a disastrous fourth quarter saw the Orange fall to the Fighting Irish 83-62 as ND outscored SU 30-14 in the final period.

The Orange played just six players throughout the contest. Teisha Hyman notched 22 points to lead all Syracuse scorers and also produced eight assists, eight rebounds and seven steals — all team-highs. Chrislyn Carr, Najé Murray and Alaysia Styles all added double-digit points, but six ND players in double-figures proved too much for the Orange to handle.

The Fighting Irish utilized the 3-pointer well against SU, finishing with nine 3’s, converting at a 41% clip, while Syracuse shot 3-of-20 from range. ND’s Dara Mabrey, who played a team-high 37 minutes, scored four 3s while Olivia Miles finished with a team-high 17 points. The lack of perimeter scoring by the Orange allowed the Irish to pull away in the final quarter.

The Fighting Irish report

Notre Dame will be the best team Syracuse has faced this season. Per Her Hoop Stats, the Irish rank 6th in the country in field-goal percentage (48.7%), 11th in points per game (81.9), eighth in total rebounds per game (45.6) and eighth in blocks per game. The Irish come off a 39-point win against Wake Forest and have just two losses on the season — Maryland and UNC.

Five players average double-figures for Notre Dame, four of which are routine starters, including Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron, who both rank in the top 10 in points per game in the conference. The Fighting Irish are good at sharing the ball to get easier looks at the basket, garnering a conference-high 18.07 assists per game behind Miles’ 7.1 per game, which is sixth nationally.

How Syracuse beats Notre Dame

On paper, the Orange are outmatched in almost every category. Two weeks ago, SU kept it close with then-No. 11 NC State and proved it can hang around with top teams, provided it can control the glass and limit outside shooting.

Syracuse gets a fair amount of its points from second-chance opportunities, when Dariauna Lewis, Kyra Wood and Asia Strong can corral offensive boards. Two games ago at Clemson, the Orange notched 21 offensive rebounds which translated 23 second-chance points.

Defensively, the Orange averages the most steals in the ACC this season but will need to limit their own turnover numbers. Against Boston College on Thursday, Syracuse caused 23 turnovers, but also coughed up the ball 23 times. That cannot happen against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish also commit 16.7 turnovers a game against a Syracuse team that loves to score in transition. SU can emerge victorious on Sunday if the Orange can speed up a methodical ND team and convert on fast-break opportunities.

Stat to know: 23.3

As one of the highest scoring teams in the country, Notre Dame defeats its opponents by an average margin of 23.3 points, the fifth-best nationally, per Her Hoop Stats. ND beat UConn by 14, Boston College by 37 and WFU by 39. It also has multiple 20+ point wins over non-Power Five teams, too. While Syracuse often relies on Dyaisha Fair for the bulk of the scoring, Notre Dame has threats all-around and doesn’t necessarily rely on a single player.

Player to watch: Olivia Miles, guard, No. 5

A Nancy Lieberman award finalist last season, Miles is Notre Dame’s leading scorer and rebounder. She also leads the team in assists and is one of the best in that category nationally. Miles led the way for the Irish in the teams’ last meeting and it’s likely that will happen again on Sunday. Miles has scored in double-figures for the Fighting Irish in every game this season, but one, including a 21-point outing against UConn.

Published on January 15, 2023 at 9:49 am

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini