Opponent Preview: Coppin State comes to Syracuse on four-game skid

To support student journalism and the content you love, become a member of The Daily Orange today.

After falling short against Purdue, Syracuse traveled to Yale to get back in the win column.

Against the Bulldogs, Dariauna Lewis scored the game-winning basket with 1:14 left. On defense, the Orange forced Yale into five missed field-goal attempts in the final minute to pick up their sixth win of the season and the first road win with Felisha Legette-Jack at the helm. Like their matchup against the Boilermakers, the Orange started slow and trailed 37-25 at halftime before Dyaisha Fair’s and Lewis’ combined 33 points helped get SU back into the game. Georgia Woolley also notched a season-high 11 points.

Syracuse returns to the JMA Wireless Dome after its two-game road trip where it hosts Coppin State, who enter on a four-game losing streak.

Here’s everything you need to know about Coppin State (2-7, 0-0 Mid-Eastern):

All time series:

Syracuse leads 5-0.

Last time they played:

In 2016, Syracuse cruised to a 76-30 win over the Eagles with the game effectively finished in the first quarter, where the Orange outscored their opponent 26-2. After conceding 26 consecutive points to start the game, Mia Crooms scored a layup for Coppin State with eight seconds remaining to end the scoring drought.

In the next two quarters, CSU continued to struggle offensively scoring just five points in both the second and the third, while the Orange put up 17 and 18, respectively. 10 different Syracuse players scored and 13 saw the floor. Alexis Peterson led the Orange in points with 16.

CSU managed to outscore the Orange 18-15 in the fourth, though Syracuse had removed its starters by that point. The Eagles fell to 0-8 and Syracuse won its third game running.

The Eagles report:

Coppin State is one of the worst shooting teams in the country, ranking 325th of 365 in field-goal percentage in Division I, per Her Hoop Stats. It shoots just 33.5% from the floor and only averages 54.7 points per game, which ranks 302nd. It enters the game with Syracuse on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling 84-81 against William and Mary last Sunday. CSU has played one other Atlantic Coast Conference opponent this season, losing to Pittsburgh in the season opener.

The Eagles are statistically better defensively, conceding only 59.2 points per game. But they have played weaker competition. CSU has only two wins so far this season coming against Winthrop and Saint Peter’s. They’re off to a sluggish start, coming off a year where they finished 15-13.

How Syracuse beats Coppin State:

Syracuse should have no problem taking down the Eagles. It averages 75 points per game, over 15 more than the Coppin State defense concedes. With three players averaging double-figures, SU can use a blend of scoring, both on the inside and from the perimeter, to cruise past CSU.

SU enjoys playing fast in transition, and for a team that averages 10.1 steals and 5.1 blocks per game, expect Syracuse to capitalize on Eagle errors. Besides Fair and Lewis scoring, Woolley can provide another option provided she stays healthy after starting the season off with a small injury.

Emma Kelly | Design Editor

If the Orange dominate the boards, like they usually do against weaker nonconference opponents, they should pick up their seventh win of the season

Stat to know: 22.4

It’s clear that the Eagles struggle to score from the field, but they generate over a fifth of their points from the free-throw line, getting 22.4% of them from the charity stripe, per Her Hoop Stats. Syracuse has limited its opponents to a total of 52 trips to the line, which averages out to 6.5 times per game, per Her Hoop Stats. This matchup should be a comfortable win for Syracuse, but the free throws might play a part in how big the deficit is.

Player to watch: Mossi Staples, guard, No. 1

Despite the slow start to the season, Staples has scored double-digit points in six of nine games, including a season-high 21 in the win over St. Peter’s. She averages just under 12 points per game, which is second best on the team. A season ago, she was third-team All-MEAC and earned MEAC Player of the Week twice. Staples is also one of the best defenders for the Eagles, totaling a team-high 18 steals so far.