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Syracuse notched its second straight road win of the season against Pittsburgh on Sunday, which was once again fueled by Teisha Hyman. The Orange overcame deficits as large as 13 points to beat the Panthers and move within one game of .500. While they finished the game with their lowest 3-point shooting percentage of the season (10%) and allowed 44 points in the paint to a bottom-dwelling Atlantic Coast Conference team, the Orange went to the free-throw line 28 times and missed just three attempts.

A third straight conference win could correct a season once lost in the midst of a six game losing streak. Florida State comes into the game against Syracuse off a loss against Miami that was preceded by two solid wins against then-No. 20 Notre Dame and Duke. 

Before the Seminoles’ (12-11, 6-7 ACC) matchup with Syracuse (11-12, 4-9 ACC), here’s everything you need to know about FSU.

All-time series

Syracuse leads 5-4.

Last time they played

Florida State and Syracuse last met in the second round of the ACC tournament last year. Kamilla Cardoso quickly flipped in an air ball from Kiara Lewis to give the Orange their first — and only — lead of the game as time expired. The Seminoles pounded SU in the first quarter, finishing the opening 10 minutes with a 22-8 lead. But a strong comeback, fueled by a third quarter that saw the Orange cut FSU’s lead by nine points, placed them in a prime position to advance to the semifinals.

Five Syracuse players finished with double-digit points, and Cardoso pulled down 13 rebounds to cap off a double-double performance. While the Orange went on to lose to Louisville the next day, the win effectively sealed an NCAA Tournament berth for Syracuse.

The Seminoles report

FSU enters Tuesday night two games ahead of Syracuse in the ACC and has played a similar average season as the Orange. The Seminoles have picked up quality wins this season like SU, while also falling in head scratching fashion in others. Led by Morgan Jones, Florida State has defined itself as a solid shooting team from all three levels, though. While it ranks ninth in the ACC in points per game, FSU shoots 44.5% from the field and has a field goal percentage that ranks 32nd in the country, per Her Hoop Stats.

The Seminoles also have one of the youngest lineups in the country — coupled with a solid collection of upperclassmen and graduate players — as they start two freshmen who are both averaging over seven points per game. 

How Syracuse beats Florida State

Shooting as poorly as the Orange did against Pittsburgh isn’t sustainable. Neither is allowing 44 points down low. If SU wants to pick up its third straight conference win against a more high-powered Florida State team, neither of those trends can continue. The Seminoles allow a field goal percentage slightly below what SU is averaging this season, but with streaky shooting from deep continuing to surround SU’s guards, it’s going to need to break inside.

Hyman continued her breakout season with a career-high 31 points, and forward Alaysia Styles tacked on a career-high 21, mitigating the negative effects of Najé Murray’s shooting blank against the Panthers. That game demonstrated that the Orange can still beat mid-level ACC teams even if some of their shooters are having off nights. But the ball needs to work its way inside, and quality, balanced shots close to the basket must be shot.

Player to watch: O’Mariah Gordon, guard, No. 11

In her first season with the Seminoles, O’Mariah Gordon has taken off and has frequently been worked into starting lineups for head coach Sue Semrau. She made history as the first true freshman to start at point guard for Florida State in 14 years and has since taken off for seven double-digit games. Even off the bench, Gordon is good for a handful of points and — typically — at least three assists.

The Orange have seen dynamic guards in previous games take off and control scoring this season and allow opponents to shoot 31% from deep against them. So Gordon could be next in line giving fits to the top line of Syracuse’s 1-3-1 full court press. Acting head coach Vonn Read also talked in previous losses, like against Louisville and North Carolina, about the opponent’s ability to bring fresh legs off the bench to overwhelm a tired SU lineup. Gordon could also be a serviceable reinforcement off the bench to hinder the Orange’s chances of sealing another win.

Maya Goosmann | Digital Design Director

Stat to know: 10.9 opponent offensive rebounds per game

Syracuse is already one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. It’s plagued by a lack of height and small guards that, despite trying to work inside as much as possible, are still frequently overmatched by other teams. Enter Florida State, who allows just under 11 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks 130th in the country. The Orange might finally be able to find success down low against the Seminoles.

Florida State has two players who average over five rebounds per game, but the team ranks 10th in the conference in defensive rebounds per game. Christianna Carr and Styles have had double-doubles with rebounds already this season, and Hyman has the ability to collect a few as well, making the Seminoles not as menacing as a team down low as previous SU opponents.

Published on February 14, 2022 at 7:36 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt