Observations from No. 23 Syracuse’s 62-59 win over Georgia Tech: Varejão’s return, GT’s drought

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Following two straight losses for the first time this season against then-No. 19 Virginia Tech at home and then-No. 16 Louisville on the road, Syracuse traveled to Massachusetts to take on Boston College. BC, despite being bottom feeders in the Atlantic Coast Conference, hung with the Orange throughout the first three quarters.

Knotted 49-49 heading into the fourth quarter, SU point guard Dyaisha Fair kicked into another gear in the final frame. The sixth leading scorer in women’s Division I history scored 13 of her Syracuse-high 38 points, leading the Orange back into the win column with a 75-63 victory.

The ending by Fair and the Orange was reminiscent of what they’ve done best this season — thrive in the fourth quarter. In upset wins over Notre Dame at the JMA Wireless Dome and in South Bend, SU used big fourth quarters to close out the Fighting Irish while they’ve completed sporadic comebacks against Clemson and then-No. 15 Florida State.

Only leading 44-43 entering the final period against the Yellow Jackets, Syracuse again needed to dominate the final period. Although they didn’t dominate the final period, the Orange did just enough to squeak out a 62-59 win.

Here are some observations from No. 23 Syracuse’s (19-4, 9-3 ACC) 62-59 win versus Georgia Tech (14-10, 5-7 ACC):

Izabel Varejão dominates in return

After missing over two months with an undisclosed injury, Syracuse center Izabel Varejão took the court for the first time in 2024. Varejão started in six of the Orange’s first eight games, but head coach Felisha Legette-Jack opted to start Kyra Wood and Saniaa Wilson in the frontcourt.

On SU’s first offensive possession with her on the floor, Varejão made an instant impact, sinking a floater in the paint to snap a 6-0 Georgia Tech run. On the ensuing possession, she got the ball in the post before dishing a slick assist to an open Alyssa Latham under the basket. Despite her strong play, Varejão was sent to the bench after three minutes on the court and didn’t return until one minute into the second quarter. Varejão missed her first shot of the quarter, but she nailed a hook shot two minutes later to bring the Orange within five. After a four-minute spurt, Varejão was sent to the bench after picking up her second foul.

Varejão started the second half and produced four more points in her five-minute spurt before heading back to the bench. Midway through the fourth, she blocked a jumper before getting bumped and drilling a bank shot on the other end. Varejão’s ensuing free throw tied the game 53-53 with four minutes remaining. She finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in her limited play, boosting the Orange to a narrow win.

Georgia Tech’s offensive drought

When Kayla Blackshear nailed two free throws midway through the second quarter, it gave Georgia Tech a 31-23 lead. The Yellow Jackets looked in full command, well on their way toward taking a double-digit lead into halftime. But GT missed its last six shots of the second quarter and turned the ball over three times, taking only a three-point lead into the break.

At the beginning of the third quarter, its offensive struggles continued. Within the first minute and a half of the period, the Yellow Jackets tacked on two more misses from the field and another turnover. After its next two shots were off the mark and Varejão made a layup, the Yellow Jackets called timeout and finally got back on the board when Tonie Morgan made a layup three minutes into the third quarter.

But from there, Georgia Tech’s offensive was still out of sync. It turned the ball over on its next three possessions, missed two free throws then missed its next three shots from the field. This allowed Syracuse to take a 43-35 lead, but the Yellow Jackets responded with an 8-0 run and cut SU’s lead to 44-43 heading into the fourth quarter.

SU survives Dyaisha Fair’s struggles

Throughout Syracuse’s season, and when she transferred in 2022, Fair has consistently been its go-to scorer. Coming off possibly the best game of her Syracuse career, Fair delivered her worst performance of the season against Georgia Tech.

In the opening minutes of the game, Fair canned a 3 and a pull-up jumper, but she was held without a field goal for the remainder of the period. At halftime, Fair was 3-for-8 from the field, but her offense was progressively worse in the second half. Fair proceeded to miss seven of her first nine next shots, but canned a pull-up transition 3 to regain a 56-55 lead.

With the Orange leading 60-59 with under a minute remaining, Fair had a chance to extend their lead on a driving layup, but her attempt was no good — encapsulating her rough 5-for-18 day from the field.

Georgia Tech couldn’t capitalize on the other end and quickly fouled Fair, who went just 1-for-2 from the line. Despite Fair not being able to ice the game, SU’s defense stepped up, holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless for the remaining two minutes of play.

Turnovers galore

Throughout the first 15 minutes of Thursday’s game, Syracuse shot a solid 43.5% from the field, but it turned the ball over (7) nearly as many times as it made field goals (10). After one quarter, the Orange were losing the turnover battle 5-2, but their defense stepped up in the second, forcing Georgia Tech into seven turnovers.

Despite an efficient 4-for-5 shooting first half, GT’s Kara Dunn turned the ball over four times and contributed to the Yellow Jackets’ seven second-quarter turnovers. SU played stifling defense in the second frame, holding Georgia Tech to 3-for-12 shooting in addition to its seven turnovers. But Syracuse still trailed 31-28, turning the ball over as many times as GT.

Throughout the second half, the teams looked more composed, but still, SU finished with 16 turnovers (tied for its fifth-most this season) while the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over 17 times. Alaina Rice led both teams with six turnovers.

With a chance to tie the game in the final second from the right corner, Morgan was out of bounds when she caught the ball, unable to attempt a shot for the tie.