ezarett's Blog

Syracuse guards Brittney Sykes and Alexis Peterson were both selected in the WNBA draft on Thursday night. The pair started all 33 games in the Orange backcourt last season and combined to average 42.6 points per contest. 

“Over the last few years, we have proven that we have high-level players, All-Americans and professional players,” Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman said in a press release. “Their selections tonight are a testament to what we have built at Syracuse. I cannot overstate how happy I am for both players.”

Sykes became the highest-drafted player in SU history when she was selected seventh overall by the Atlanta Dream. She was drafted one pick higher than former Orange center Kayla Alexander, who was selected eighth overall by the San Antonio Stars in 2013.

Sykes averaged 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 2016-17 while shooting 39.3 percent from behind the 3-point line. Her 1,846 career points ranks third in program history. Sykes averaged 13.4 points per contest and started 137 games over her five-year collegiate career.

“It feels good to know that I left my mark here [at Syracuse],” Sykes said in a press release. “Now, I am ready to live my dream of playing professional basketball.”

The Seattle Storm drafted Peterson with the third pick of the second round—15^th overall. As a senior at SU, Peterson was named an Associated Press Second-Team All-American and averaged a team-high 23.4 points per game. She also added seven assists per contest and shot 42.3 percent from the field.

“It is such a blessing to be selected by the Seattle Storm,” Peterson said in a press release. “It is crazy to say. I have been wanting this since I picked up a basketball. This really means a lot.”

Peterson and Sykes led Syracuse to 30 wins and an unexpected NCAA Championship Game appearance in 2015-16. The Orange followed that with a 22-8 record in 2016-17 and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. SU’s season ended with a 94-64 loss to UConn in the second round. 

Syracuse men’s basketball head coach designate Mike Hopkins will become the next head coach at the University of Washington. Reports indicate Hopkins contract with the Huskies is for six years.

Following Hopkins’ departure, Syracuse University and head men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim agreed to a contract extension for an unannounced number of years. Boeheim was expected to retire following the 2017-18 season.

“Mike received a great opportunity and we thank him and wish him the best,” Boeheim said in a statement. “I’m happy to stay on to help the program and to continue the staff’s devotion to success.”

Hopkins played for the Orange from 1989-93 and began his career as an assistant for Boeheim in 1996.

Hopkins served as Syracuse’s interim head coach for nine games in 2015-16 during Boeheim’s suspension for NCAA violations. He registered a 4-5 record. Hopkins was expected to become SU’s permanent head coach following Boeheim’s retirement.

Hopkins takes over a Washington team that tallied just a 9-22 record last season. The Huskies missed the last six NCAA Tournaments under former head coach Lorenzo Romar, who was fired on Wednesday.

"I'm extremely excited to welcome Mike and his family to Seattle," Washington Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen said in a statement to gohuskies.com. "His resume and reputation within the basketball community made him stand out to us, but ultimately it was his vision for Washington, his passion for teaching and developing student-athletes and his close alignment with the core values of our institution and department that made it more than clear that he was the right fit for us."

Syracuse also announced that Adrian Autry has been promoted to associate head coach. Current Orange assistant coach Gerry McNamara is also expected to remain on Boeheim’s staff. Both have been on the SU bench since 2011-12.

"The Syracuse basketball program was built on the concept of family and that remains intact with Coach Boeheim agreeing to this contract extension," said Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack in a statement. “Having experienced assistant coaches like Adrian Autry and Gerry McNamara on the staff helps us maintain the elite standing the program has earned.”

After overcoming multiple second-half deficits during its five-game win streak, the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team’s comeback came up short at Pittsburgh (14-11, 3-9 ACC) on Saturday afternoon, losing 80-75. SU (16-10, 8-5 ACC) had topped the Panthers, 77-66, in early January, but failed to complete the season sweep at the Petersen Events Center. Here are three takeaways from the Orange’s loss:

Despite comeback, double-digit deficit doomed SU

A jumper by guard Tyus Battle put the Orange ahead 15-10 eight minutes into the game. But, Pittsburgh closed the half’s final two minutes on an 8-2 run to take a 35-28 lead at the break. By the 14:51 mark of the second half, the Panthers had increased their advantage to double-digits, forcing Syracuse to extend its defense.

Despite a frantic comeback by the Orange in the game’s final minutes—a 3-pointer by John Gillon cut the Panthers lead to just three with seven seconds left—SU failed to overcome its large deficit.

White, Gillon stay hot

Andrew White III scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half to keep Syracuse in the game late. Overall, the graduate transfer knocked down 7 of his 16 shots from the field and hit three shots from behind the 3-point line on eight attempts. White has scored 20 or more points in six straight games and has reached double-figures in all but one of SU’s 26 contests. He is averaging a team-high 17.7 points per game on the season.

Gillon played all but one minute against the Panthers Saturday, finishing with 20 points. He has reached that figure in three of Syracuse’s last five games—including a 43-point performance in the Orange’s overtime victory over N.C. State earlier this month. He had scored 20 points in just one of SU’s first 21 games this season. 

Gillon was also 5-for-5 from the free throw line and has now connected on 34 straight attempts, tying former Syracuse guard Brandon Triche for the program record.

Syracuse gets big contributions off the bench

After starting SU’s first 14 games, guard Frank Howard has seen his playing time cut significantly during ACC play. Howard played under 10 minutes in each of the Orange’s last four games and combined for more turnovers, six, than points, five, during those contests. But, against Pittsburgh, Howard made a major impact. He played 25 minutes, finished with 12 points—the first time he reached double-figure scoring totals since Dec. 19 against Eastern Michigan—and hit all five of his free throw attempts.

Tyler Roberson also added eight points and five rebounds in 24 minutes, giving SU a total of 20 points off the bench, its highest mark in ACC play. 

Three days after struggling offensively in a loss to South Carolina at the Barclays Center, the No. 22 Syracuse men’s basketball team was topped by No. 17 Wisconsin, 77-60, in Madison, Wisconsin. Here are three takeaways from the game, which was part of the ACC/BIG 10 Challenge.

DaJuan Coleman can be an effective low-post scorer

After struggling against South Carolina, Coleman found a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor on Tuesday. The center opened the game with a score off a strong post move. Four minutes later, Coleman — who entered the contest averaging just 5.0 points per game — scored four consecutive points for the Orange, knocking down a mid-range jumper and hitting a pair of free throws.

Coleman was efficient in the paint and around the rim, hitting five of his seven shots from the field. He finished with a season-high 12 points and three rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Coleman had not played more than 15 minutes in any game this season.

Guards Andrew White III and John Gillon joined Coleman in double-figures. White scored all of his 14 points in the first half, while Gillon chipped in 10.

Rebounding hurt the Orange

After losing the rebounding battle, 37-30, against South Carolina on Saturday, SU struggled on the boards against Wisconsin. The Badgers dominated the Orange on the glass, outrebounding SU by 15, 40-25, in the game. Wisconsin managed to extend multiple possessions, corralling 14 offensive rebounds, which led to 18 second chance points.

Wisconsin forwards Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ combined for 24 total rebounds, one less than the entire SU team totaled in the game. No Orange player recorded more than five boards in the contest.

Hayes’ interior passing caused the SU defense to scramble

Wisconsin found holes in Syracuse’s 2-3 zone and got the ball into Hayes’ hands at the free throw line. The senior forward then, on multiple occasions, distributed quick, accurate passes both on the perimeter and inside. This left the Orange scrambling on defense, opening up gaps in its zone, which the Badgers exposed.

Overall, Wisconsin shot 49.2 percent from the field and knocked down 11 of its 23 3-point attempts. Hayes finished with just nine points, but added 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists. Happ scored a game-high 24 points, hitting 10 of his 12 shot attempts, while senior guard Bronson Koenig drained six 3-pointers.