The Terps look to start 4-0.
After an upset victory over then-No. 11 Duke Sunday, No. 11 Maryland women’s basketball faces another ACC opponent Wednesday in Syracuse.
The Terps and Orange will meet at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York. Maryland played the Orange last season at Xfinity Center, and the Terps escaped with a 83-81 victory.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on ACC Network.
Syracuse Orange (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
2023-24 record: 24-8, 13-5 ACC
Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack is in her third season at the program’s helm after spending 10 seasons as Buffalo’s head coach. She was last season’s ACC Coach of The Year. She played four seasons at Syracuse — from 1984 to 1988 — and is in the top 10 in Syracuse’s career points per game and rebounds lists.
Syracuse comes into a tough matchup with Maryland after a home loss to Saint Joseph’s on Sunday, 84-70.
Last season, Syracuse went further than Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, losing in the second round to UConn after defeating Arizona in the first round.
Players to watch
Georgia Woolley, senior guard, 6-foot-0, No. 5 — Woolley, a Brisbane, Australia, native, is in her third season with the Orange. She leads the team in scoring after dropping 18 points against Niagara and 19 points against Saint Joseph’s. Woolley was second in points per game (13.5) last season, also contributing 4.8 rebounds and three assists per game.
Kyra Wood, senior forward, 6-foot-3, No. 22 — Wood is looking to take a big step this season. She started 24 games last season and averaged 6.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists. She flashed with 19 points in Syracuse’s season opener against Niagara.
Sophie Burrows, sophomore guard, 6-foot-2, No. 4 — Burrows has become a consistent starter after coming off the bench in all but four games last season. Last year, she averaged 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 30 games. This season, she notched eight points against Niagara and 14 points against Saint Joseph’s.
Strength
3-point shooting. In its first two games, Syracuse is 13-of-28 (46.4%) from 3-point range, the second-best mark in the ACC and the 15th-best in the nation. It may be a small sample size, but no team shot over 40% from deep last season. If Syracuse can keep this pace, it will be difficult for opponents to handle.
Weakness
Roster turnover. After making it to the NCAA Tournament last season, Syracuse went through a lot of roster turnover going into this season. Three of Syracuse’s top five scorers last season did not return this year. With a new roster, Syracuse is still looking to figure things out.
Three things to watch
1. Moving up in the poll. After a 3-0 start, Maryland moved up seven spots in the AP poll. After being ranked No. 18 in the preseason, the Terps jumped up to No. 11. If the Terps win Wednesday, they could continue to rise.
2. It’s all coming together. With a predominantly new roster, Maryland could need some time to get things figured out before it can reach its full potential. But the growing pains haven’t been too evident thus far. Syracuse provides an opportunity for the Terps to continue to gel or flash their first sign of disconnect this season.
3. Allie Kubek could impact. Kubek has been in Maryland’s starting lineup every game this season and has been serviceable, but hasn’t taken full advantage of her opportunities. There are some questions about her availability after she looked a bit injured against Duke. Assuming she can play, she could be a key piece against Syracuse. Last season against the Orange, she posted 23 points and eight rebounds.