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Syracuse has been abysmal this season, especially in ACC play. As of late, it’s embarked on its second three-game losing streak of conference play.

First, the Orange fell 72-62 to Louisville in a close game down the stretch. Then, SU was handed its worst loss under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack in a 92-51 demolition by Boston College. On Thursday, Syracuse faced No. 20 NC State, looking to get back on track. It led the Wolfpack 42-32 at half but collapsed in the final 20 minutes, allowing NC State to come back and win.

SU’s abysmal 3-point shooting — where it finished 5-of-24 from deep — was a crucial blow in the contest. On top of that, Syracuse’s leading scorer Georgia Woolley returned to the lineup after being sidelined with the flu versus BC. But she was inconsistent from the floor, failing to make a single shot in the second half.

The Orange have a more favorable matchup versus Clemson on Sunday. The Tigers are currently 10th in the Atlantic Coast Conference, presenting an opportunity for SU to get back in the win column.

Here’s everything to know about Clemson (11-9, 4-5 ACC) before it faces Syracuse (7-12, 1-7 ACC) Sunday:

All time series

Syracuse leads 12-2.

Last time they played …

On Jan. 14, 2023, Syracuse hosted Clemson, hoping to remain near the top of the ACC. Despite the Tigers jumping out to an 11-point halftime lead, Syracuse completed its largest comeback in the Legette-Jack era to win 83-82. In a back-and-forth game down the stretch, freshman Alyssa Latham converted a layup with seven seconds left to give SU the victory.

Despite Clemson’s Amari Robinson torching the Orange for 37 points and the Tigers shooting 51.7% from the field, Syracuse stayed in the game via Dyaisha Fair’s heroics. The graduate student notched her 3,000th career point versus the Tigers with her 21-point effort, one of four SU players in double figures.

The Tigers report

Clemson began the season on the wrong foot, dropping all four of its Power Four nonconference contests by large margins. And despite starting ACC play 3-1, it’s since fallen off a cliff. Prior to the Tigers’ 64-61 win over Miami Thursday, they lost four straight games to Virginia, then-No. 3 Notre Dame, Florida State and then-No. 17 Georgia Tech.

The Tigers don’t possess many scoring threats on offense. Alabama transfer Loyal McQueen (13.9 points per game) and UAB transfer Mia Moore (11.8 points per game) are their only players averaging double figures. McQueen is their most complete player, also leading the team in assists and posing a threat on the glass.

Despite its underwhelming roster, Clemson is strong from deep collectively, ranking 29th nationally with a 36% 3-point percentage, per HerHoopStats. Hannah Kohn has attempted a whopping 131 triples, 60 more than anyone else on the roster, while Moore leads the Tigers, who have shot more than 20 threes, with a 40.8% hit rate from beyond the arc.

On the boards, Clemson is inconsistent. It dominates the defensive glass, with its 76.2% defensive rebounding rate placing fifth in the country, according to HerHoopStats. On the other hand, the Tigers are dreadful at offensive rebounding, only collecting 9.6 per game, the 289th-best mark. This has allowed opponents to corral a 35th-best 32 rebounds per contest.

How Syracuse beats Clemson

To beat Clemson, Syracuse needs to control the glass. It’s the area where SU’s has had the most success and just so happens to be one where Clemson is weak. Syracuse impressed in rebounding against NC State, leading the Wolfpack, one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the nation, 49-40 in total boards.

Woolley also needs to find her groove again. SU’s leading scorer hasn’t shot over 40% from the field since it defeated Binghamton in its penultimate nonconference contest on Dec. 18. Versus NC State, she was abysmal, shooting 4-for-17, including 0-for-9 in the second half. If the Australian can shoot efficiently versus Clemson, it could pave the way for the Orange’s second ACC win.

Stat to Know: 17.5%

The free throw line has been almost entirely eliminated from Clemson’s game this year, as it’s only logged 122 trips in 20 games. Only 14.1% of its points come from the charity stripe, ranking 325th in Division 1, per HerHoopStats.

The Tigers draw a porous 13.6 fouls per game foul, allowing their opponents to foul at a 17.5% rate, the 341st-best mark in the nation. To add to that, Syracuse only commits 15 fouls per game on average, which should allow it to keep the Tigers away from the charity stripe Sunday.

Player to watch: Loyal McQueen, guard, No. 1

In her first year with the Tigers, McQueen is having a career year. The graduate student played two years at both Georgia Tech and Alabama before transferring to Clemson but never averaged more than 10 points or three rebounds per game.

But this season, McQueen has emerged as the Tigers’ best player. The Florence, South Carolina, product boasts a team-leading 13.8 points per game while also contributing 3.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists on average. She’s also efficient from the field, shooting 43% overall and 41.2% from 3.

Published on January 25, 2025 at 6:18 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99