Syracuse, NY – Syracuse women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack said she wants Sophie Burrows to see the game the way she saw it.
So for the first time in 45 games, Burrows started a game on the SU bench.
The senior and team captain got it done on the floor for the Orange, showing vision to make a pair of game-changing assists that helped the Orange to an 82-72 win over Florida State at the JMA Wireless Dome on Thursday night.
Burrows had started the previous 44 games for the Orange in a stretch dating back to a loss to UConn in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
She was pulled from SU’s starting lineup against FSU, a decision reflecting a stretch of poor shooting that began to affect other areas of her game.
Burrows was a deadly shooter last year, knocking down 39.6 percent of his shots from beyond the 3-point arc. This season, however, she only connected on 21.2 percent.
“(Her) shot was getting away from her and you start to feel like less of a (player),” Legette-Jack said. “I wanted her to see the game from my perspective. She needed to be more of an impact player for us. She has to be on the court a lot, but (we had to) take her out when she starts because you see how it breaks down.”
Despite the humiliating demotion, Legette-Jack’s confidence remained and Burrow’s response was immediate.
Syracuse took the lead against the Seminoles in the opening minute on Thursday and built a double-digit halftime lead. But with 57 seconds left, the edge turned into two points, putting a potentially damaging result back on the table.
With the game on the line, Legette-Jack put the ball in Burrows’ hand. As Burrows worked her way to the basketball, freshman Uche Izoje lined up in the lane and put a defender on her side.
Burrows saw it as an opening, lifting the ball into space and allowing Izoja to move into the alley-oop to push the Orange to a two-possession lead.
“She’s such an amazing athlete that I just throw it out there and she gets it,” Burrows said. “A lot of people can’t jump with her. Just drop it and she’ll get it.”
It was the same pattern that played out with 3:08 remaining, the only time the Seminoles got within one possession in the second half.
On that occasion, Legette-Jack also trusted Burrows, who again drove to the basket and executed a replica lob from the alley.
“I mean, I just do what my team needs me to do, and if it’s off the bench, it’s off the bench,” Burrows said. “I don’t think it really matters who starts, but who finishes. If that’s what my team needs me to do, I’ll do it.”
Despite coming off the bench, Burrows played 34 minutes against Florida, her most playing time in five games.
While her 3-point shot still eluded her against FSU, Burrows contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.
“He’s more than a shooter,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s a versatile player. … I think she realizes now what we’re trying to do for her. Is she still coming off the bench? I don’t know. It’s working right now. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
That included going 0-for-7 against Duke in the Orange’s previous game, with Burrows committing as many turnovers (3) as assists and shooting just 1-for-10 from the field in a 20-point home loss.
The performance led Legette-Jack to turn things around against the Seminoles, a decision that was effective but one the head coach acknowledged was difficult.
“She’s our captain, she’s our leader,” Legette-Jack said. “I met with her and the mt staff to let her know that this is not a punishment, but something to improve her and us. We had a mature conversation. She is an adult. She understands the assignment.”
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