Notre Dame at Syracuse (on ESPN2)

[Plebe]

Syracuse got off to a red-hot start and led by as much as 13 in the 1st quarter.
Notre Dame came back and drew to within 2 in Q2. Syracuse finished on a bit of a burst for a 43-35 lead at the half.
Sykes and Mabrey both having big games so far.
Mychal Johnson (ND freshman) suffered a painful-looking ankle injury late in Q2. She was just coming off a shoulder injury. Injuries just suck.

 

[Orangutan]

As poorly as that went for ND, to be down only 8 isn't so bad.

Had the lead down to 2. Then Arike missed an open 3 and Sykes got a transition buck. Next possession Marina misses and even more open 3, another Sykes transition bucket. Transition D has to be better. You know Sykes and Peterson are going to drive at every opportunity. It's tricky, though, because they are good at drawing contact and getting to the line.

Syracuse is very clever about defending as tight as possible without fouling and then flopping if you so much as think about pushing off.

Much like the Tennessee game, Syracuse is both defending much more aggressively and fouling less frequently.

 

[Plebe]

Peterson has "only" 9 points but she has 7 assists at the half.
Briana Day is also playing extremely well.

And can I just say, it feels bizarre to be watching a women's basketball game at Syracuse where there are actually fans in the seats.

 

[DefenseBB]

Every time ND makes a charge, Syracuse responds back.'Cuse up 4 going into 4th...

 

[Orangutan]

The percentage discrepancy on 3-pt shooting isn't that big: ND - 40%, Syracuse 47.6%, but it sure feels like Syracuse has buried every open 3. Meanwhile Erin Boley was completely wide open to end the quarter and missed.

ND just isn't punishing Syracuse's defensive errors consistently enough.

 

[nyfanofwbb]

What was that?? AP inbound play ? Anyone see that?

 

[HuskyNan]

ND will survive, it appears

 

[Orangutan]

Had. Them. All. The. Way.

 

[ASweet3781]

Glad to see ND start moving up to 1 seed territory. Do not want them as our 2 seed.

 

[triaddukefan]

Had. Them. All. The. Way.

11,000 fans in attendance... that impressive

 

[triaddukefan]

What was that?? AP inbound play ? Anyone see that?

She tried to copy Rebecca Greenwell of Duke..... Greenwell did it 3 times vs Syracuse last week

 

[HopJim]

ND will survive, it appears

Not sure how to characterize ND today. Casual, deliberate, ? ND followers-would you view this game as typical of how ND has played this year?