Syracuse, N.Y. – Every time the Syracuse women’s basketball team needed the basketball Thursday night against Florida State, the Orange turned to one of the program’s youngest faces.
The Seminoles cut the Orange lead to one possession twice in the final three minutes at the JMA Wireless Dome, and each time it was center Uche Izoje who pushed Syracuse back to safety.
The 6-foot-3 center converted a pair of smooth alley-oop layups in the final three minutes of the 82-72 victory, including one with 57 seconds remaining that extended the Orange’s lead to four points and provided enough cushion to reach the goal line comfortably.
Izoje finished with a dominant stat line, grabbing a season-high 17 rebounds to go along with 21 points and four blocks. She was remarkably efficient, making 10 of 13 shots and notching a double-double less than a minute into the third quarter.
None of this is new for Izoj, already a three-time ACC Rookie of the Week this year, but it was the first time this year that she managed to be the most impressive player on the floor against an ACC opponent.
In the two previous conference games, Izoje averaged just 6 points and 5.5 rebounds.
In her last game against Duke last Sunday, Izoje fouled out in 18 minutes and contributed eight points with four rebounds.
“It’s not about the ACC, honestly, no disrespect at all,” Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “It’s about her playing basketball … She’s got more in the tank than she brought tonight. You should see her in practice sometime, it’s unbelievable.”
Legette-Jack may not care too much about the conference affiliation of the opponent, but Izoje’s ability to take over against a solid opponent and react to a poor performance bodes well for the Orange.
The Orange’s early-season schedule was soft, and while Florida State is far from the class of the ACC, the Seminoles offered power program height along the front line to match Izoje in the form of Pania Davis (6-foot-6) and Avery Treadwell (6-foot-3).
Against an opponent that could match her size, Izoje played 30 minutes against the Seminoles.
She likely would have been on the floor longer had she not picked up her third foul early in the third quarter.
But this time, unlike Duke, Izoje never committed her fourth.
“When I left the court, my coach was saying, ‘You don’t need to get more fouls, we need you on the court,'” Izoje said. “That motivated me more.
Back-up center Auroa Almon also played well, covering Izoja’s brief absence. She contributed a season high of her own (6 points) and grabbed eight rebounds in 13 minutes.
“Auroa played tail,” Legette-Jack said. “It’s a fantastic stepping stone.”
Izoje’s biggest thing is her unique combination of size and athleticism, which allowed veteran guard Sophie Burrows to trust her to convert those two lane-oops plays.
“Just drop it and let her take it,” Burrows said.
It was obvious from their first meeting this preseason that those passes would be available.
I was jealous,” Burrows, a third-year veteran, said of her first impression. “I wish I could jump like that. I saw her run and jump at what, 6-foot-5? I said I wish I could run and jump like that.”
But Izoje has already shown that her game is far more developed than rebounding and converting simple finishes around the rim.
Against Florida State, she showed her range extended to the free throw line by making four soft high-post jumpers, and the Orange trusted her enough to let her run the offense by passing and handling the ball from the spot in key situations.
Stealing a line from Legette-Jack, that’s a pretty full tank for a high schooler.
If there really is more to it, Izoje and the Orange have a good shot at returning to the NCAA Tournament.
“We want her to keep taking baby steps,” Legette-Jack said. “We want to make sure she feels safe and comfortable… Really proud of where she is, but there’s more in the tank that we’re going to reveal as we go through the season.”
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