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Despite winning three of four games entering its West Coast road trip, Syracuse has since faltered mightily.

After falling to California and Stanford, it extended its losing streak to three after a 68-58 loss to No. 9 North Carolina Thursday. Facing the Atlantic Coast Conference’s best defense, SU turned the ball over 11 times in the first half en route to a 35-25 halftime deficit it couldn’t overcome. On the other end, Syracuse was decimated in the paint, getting outscored 40-20 under the rim and losing the rebound battle by 14.

The loss maintained the Orange’s position at 14th in the ACC standings with just three contests left, just one game above the three teams who will miss the conference tournament.

Next, the Orange travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face No. 11 Duke, which has just four conference losses and boasts another strong defense.

Here’s everything to know before Syracuse (10-16, 4-11 ACC) faces the Blue Devils (20-7, 11-4 ACC) for its final road game of the season:

All time series

Duke leads 9-3.

Last time they played …

On Feb. 22, 2024, Syracuse entered the JMA Wireless Dome on a five-game winning streak and ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll. But SU — the favorites in the matchup — failed spectacularly to continue its momentum. The Orange fell 58-45, their lowest-scoring game of the campaign.

Despite just a 14-11 first-quarter deficit, the Blue Devils boat raced SU in the second quarter 21-6 to take a 35-17 halftime lead, never relinquishing the advantage. No player on Duke stood out, but nobody didn’t need to. Dyaisha Fair scored a game-high 22 points but shot 28% from the field and 14.3% from 3, allowing the Blue Devils to snag the comfortable win.

The Blue Devils report

Duke — alongside Cal and UNC — marks SU’s third straight game against a top opponent in the ACC. Last season, the Blue Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 and fell to eventual Final Four-bound UConn. Their top four leading scorers and two best rebounders from that squad returned this season, setting the stage for another strong year.

Duke’s starting lineup isn’t the most flashy, but it’s propelled it to a 20-7 record. Only one starter — Ashlon Jackson (12.2) — averages double-digit points. But what the Blue Devils lack in a top-scoring threat, they make up for with production across the board.

They shoot 45.5% overall and 34.6% from beyond the arc, both within the upper echelon in the NCAA, per HerHoopStats. Leading scorer Toby Fournier (13.1 points per game) hasn’t started a single contest, providing a spark off the bench. In addition, seven total players score over six points per game.

Aside from its offense, Duke is impressive defensively. It boasts the second-lowest points allowed in the ACC at 59.1, slightly behind the Tar Heels. The Blue Devils allow opponents to score 0.71 points per play, the 26th-best mark in the country, according to HerHoopStats. They also force opponents to commit 21.3 turnovers per game (17th-best).

How Syracuse beats Duke

SU needs to go to its biggest strength — its presence inside. Kyra Wood and Izabel Varejão have been effective in the paint for most of the season but have struggled lately. Last game, despite combining for 14 points, their six combined rebounds contributed to the Orange’s poor night on the glass. The Orange can’t afford that Sunday.

Syracuse also needs Georgia Woolley and Sophie Burrows to both be hot at the same time. The duo hasn’t scored over 15 points in the same game since the Orange’s last win over Wake Forest on Feb. 9. If they can come together against the Blue Devils, a close game may be in store. If not, a blowout is likely.

Stat to Know: 39.9%

While the Blue Devils excel in many categories, rebounding is one of their strongest. Specifically, they’re strong on the offensive end. They corral 14.5 offensive boards per game at a 39.9% rate, which ranks 10th nationally. Defensively, Duke is slightly below average, only pulling down 23.9 per game, but its overall 54.6% rebounding rate is top 30 in the country.

The offensive glass will be a key area for Syracuse to take advantage of in this matchup. It’s in the top 30 in both offensive boards per game (14.7) and offensive rebounding rate (37.6%), which pairs well with Duke’s shortcomings on the defensive boards.

Player to watch: Toby Fournier, forward, No. 35

Fournier, a freshman, entered the season as the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2024 class, per ESPN, and has been spectacular. Despite not starting a single game this season, she leads Duke with 13.1 points per game and a 54.7% clip from the field. The Toronto, Ontario, native has been involved all over the court, leading the Blue Devils with 1.2 blocks and ranking second with 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Published on February 22, 2025 at 2:57 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99