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Winners of its last seven, Syracuse has responded well from its lone loss of the 2023-24 season — an 83-81 loss to then-No. 20 Maryland. A win over Alabama on Nov. 30 highlighted SU’s nonconference slate, which it won 10 of 11 games. And its recent come-from-behind victory over Cornell showed its ability to overpower opponents during late stretches.

But to open Atlantic Coast Conference play, the Orange face their toughest test of the season thus far in No. 13 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish carry a nine-game winning streak into the contest and average the fifth-highest margin of victory in the country (32.9).

Here’s everything to know about No. 13 Notre Dame (9-1, 0-0 ACC) before its matchup with Syracuse (10-1, 0-0 ACC) at the JMA Wireless Dome Sunday:

All-time series

Notre Dame leads 38-3.

Last time they played

The Fighting Irish defeated the Orange 73-64 in South Bend, Indiana, on Feb. 12 in their previous meeting. Notre Dame’s victory completed a season sweep over SU in the 2022-23 season, as it also bested Syracuse on Jan. 15.

After falling behind 36-24 at the half, the Orange clawed back in the third quarter, outscoring the Fighting Irish 30-16 to take a two-point lead heading into the final frame. Then, SU shot just 28.57% from the field in the fourth quarter and allowed ND to secure the win late. Dyaisha Fair, Georgia Woolley and Dariauna Lewis combined for 53 of Syracuse’s 64 points, but the rest of its roster shot just 4-for-20 from the floor during the loss.

The Fighting Irish Report

Notre Dame has rattled off nine straight wins in response to then-No. 6 South Carolina’s 100-71 drubbing of the Fighting Irish to begin the 2023-24 campaign. The winning streak includes a victory over then-No. 20 Tennessee on Nov. 29 in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge, and three other Power Five wins over Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue.

ND is coming off a Sweet 16 finish in 2022-23, its second consecutive Sweet 16 under fourth-year head coach Niele Ivey — the reigning ACC Coach of the Year. This season, the Fighting Irish are poised to improve even further, with the arrival of freshman Hannah Hidalgo. Through 10 games, the guard is averaging 23.8 points per game and is coming off a triple-double in ND’s last outing, a victory over Western Michigan on Dec. 21.

The Hidalgo effect has been clear in Notre Dame’s success thus far. According to HerHoopStats, the Fighting Irish’s 89.7 points per game ranks ninth in the country, while their 50.2% field goal percentage is the 10th-best in the nation. And per HerHoopStats, ND has the No. 10 offensive rating in all of Division I.

At the same time, Hidalgo — who leads the country in steals — has brought dominance to both sides of the floor for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish average the fourth-most steals per game in the nation (13.3) and are HerHoopStats’ No. 3 rated defense in D-I. SU is running into a buzzsaw in Notre Dame, a team without a glaring flaw.

How Syracuse beats Notre Dame

It’s unrealistic for the Orange to stop Hidalgo in her tracks. Yet, Syracuse is receiving a break against a shorthanded Fighting Irish squad that’s missing star guards Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron to injuries. It will allow SU to frequently double-team Hidalgo up top with its swarming guards Fair, Woolley and Alaina Rice.

Still, Syracuse is in need of an offensive outburst. Those same three guards must have consistent shooting performances and prevent Notre Dame from sporting a massive advantage. The Fighting Irish have five players outside of Hidalgo that shot at an over 33% clip from 3-point range, and the Orange will be tasked to match that production.

SU, which puts up 81.1 points per game (20th-best in D-I), is more than capable of doing so. But getting off to a fast start will be paramount. On Dec. 18 versus Cornell, Syracuse started off 10-for-30 from the floor through one half and were down by as much as 14 before storming back to win by seven. Against ND, though, the Orange won’t have the luxury of a comeback victory.

Stat to know: 60.8%

Syracuse has outrebounded its opponents by 114 through its first 11 outings. Its total rebounding rate of 56.5% is the 26th-best mark in the country. But the Fighting Irish, who rebound at a 60.8% rate (fourth-highest in the country), are set to be SU’s biggest challenge on the glass.

Notre Dame forwards Maddy Westbeld (9.7 rebounds per game) and Natalija Marshall (5.4 rebounds per game), who both stand 6-foot-4 and above, pose a threat to Alyssa Latham and Kyra Wood on the boards. The Orange will need to hold their ground against a stout Fighting Irish frontcourt.

Player to watch: Hannah Hidalgo, guard, No. 3

Hidalgo is likely the best player Syracuse will face in 2023-24. The freshman guard averages the third-most points per game in the country and tallies more than six rebounds and six assists each contest. Hidalgo has scored at least 20 points in nine out of 10 games this season and can also drain 3s with consistency, shooting at a 38.6% clip from long range.

Yet, Hidalgo’s most daunting statistic is on the defensive side. She leads the nation in steals per game, averaging a whopping 6.0 — 1.7 more per game than the next closest player (Vanderbilt’s Jordyn Cambridge, 4.3). SU’s guard trio of Fair, Woolley and Rice must exhibit tenacious on-ball defense and play smart on offense to stop Hidalgo from taking over.

Published on December 30, 2023 at 6:11 pm

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews