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Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles penetrated down the right side of the lane before attempting a cross-court pass to the left corner. However, Dyaisha Fair, who started the transition offense, intercepted her pass.

Asia Strong streaked down the court, positioning herself on the block under the basket. Fair found her down low and Strong scored the layup, drawing the foul in the process. Strong converted the layup and capped off a small 6-0 run to tie the game at 12. On a play a couple minutes earlier, Strong stuffed Kylee Watson’s layup attempt, though the play resulted in a Teisha Hyman-missed 3.

Strong finished with 11 points, six rebounds and a season-high three blocks in Syracuse’s eventual 72-56 loss to No. 7 Notre Dame. Strong finished as the Orange’s second-leading scorer — she helped contain the Fighting Irish and keep Syracuse in the game for the first three quarters before ND pulled away. It marked Strong’s third-straight game with double-digit points, and her 10th of the season.

“I’ve just been locked in with my team, and I know my defense has to get better,” Strong said. “I was just focusing on defense and just (getting) to my spots.”

In the beginning of the season, Strong was in the starting five for the first seven games, but since then, she’s come off the bench and been a weapon down low that has improved the Orange’s offense. Against Yale, her last start, the bench only had three points while, in the next game against Coppin State, Syracuse had 31 bench points, 16 of which were Strong’s.

Against the Bulldogs, she only played 10 minutes and was essentially a non-factor. But off the bench against Coppin State, she had 16 points and three rebounds, bullying her way inside the paint. On one play, she missed her initial jumper, but got her own rebound and converted on the follow-up.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack thinks Strong is finally developing and becoming a better player. She’s not 100% where she needs to be, but Legette-Jack said she’s improving.

“I think she’s just getting better,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s asking a lot more questions. She’s talking basketball, which I love to do. I wish I had her longer than a half a year.”

Strong contributed in all aspects of the game on Sunday against the Fighting Irish, getting well-positioned down low for rebounds. She finished with a 25.22 usage rate, the second-highest behind Georgia Woolley. On one box out in the second quarter, Strong forced a loose ball, push-in-the-back foul on Lauren Ebo. On the ensuing possession, she got in the paint in scoring position, but couldn’t convert the layup.

Of her three blocks, her one on Watson with 4:54 remaining in the first half was the most emphatic. Watson attempted a pull-up jumper from the right side of the key, but Strong got a hold of the ball, stuffed and palmed it, and started down Watson in the process before making the outlet pass. Syracuse slowed down on the possession, but good ball movement broke down the Irish defense and Strong was found underneath. She was rewarded down low and drew a shooting foul on Maddy Westbeld. Strong went 1-of-2 from the line as Syracuse trailed just 22-21.

“(Strong) has a clear understanding from me what the expectation is defensively,” Legette-Jack said. “I just love she’s becoming a student of the game.”

The Orange earned the lead back in the latter part of the first half. After Dara Mabrey missed a 3-pointer, Alaina Rice carried the transition offense. With a 3-on-1, Rice found Strong on the left side of the paint. Strong just missed the layup, but Kyra Wood had an easy putback.

Syracuse has needed more points from other players in recent games. In its two prior games against Boston College and Clemson, Strong had 11 and 13 points. As a team, Syracuse had five and six players in double-figures. Though Fair is still the team’s leading scorer, it’s helped provide another option where SU doesn’t necessarily have to fully rely on Fair.

In the three-game stretch, Strong has averaged a 56.7% shooting clip from the field, 11.67 points per game and has gone 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. She also has played at least 20 minutes in each game for the first time since the Dec. 20 win over UAlbany. Occasionally, Strong will hit the 3-ball, including a momentum-killing one against Boston College. On Sunday, Strong finished 0-of-2 from deep, but still went 4-of-10 overall from the field.

“Not a lot of players on the team really talk the game, but she’s come to me saying she needs help in certain categories,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s honoring by going out there and playing more free.”

Published on January 15, 2023 at 6:26 pm

Contact Cole: colebambini@gmail.com | @ColeBambini