What Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman called the biggest win in program history may never have happened if not for a lineup adjustment five minutes into the game.

Tied 11-11 at the 15:03 mark of the first half against No. 6 North Carolina on Jan. 30, Hillsman replaced point guard Alexis Peterson and shooting guard Brittney Sykes with two point guards — senior Rachel Coffey and sophomore Cornelia Fondren.

It’s a combination that the Orange has used in practice, and sporadically throughout the season, but never for extended minutes during games. But in Chapel Hill, N.C., against the Tar Heels, Hillsman stuck with it, and the two-point guard lineup was a major reason for SU’s upset of the nation’s sixth-best team.

“It just happened,” Coffey said. “It just clicked together and went well.”

On Thursday, Syracuse (17-7, 6-5 Atlantic Coast) will take on Florida State (16-7, 4-6) at 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome. Most likely, Hillsman will start the same backcourt he has all season — Coffey and sophomore Sykes. But there’s no question the two-point guard lineup of Coffey and Fondren will be featured at times.

Hillsman said the lineup tinkering was just about trying something new. He needed a quicker lineup to defend Tar Heels guards Allisha Gray and Diamond DeShields. He also needed to rest Sykes, who averages just fewer than 32 minutes a game.

With Coffey and Fondren on the floor together, the Orange can utilize two of the team’s best assets — Coffey’s ability to control tempo and distribute, along with Fondren’s defensive tenacity, rebounding and ability to get to the basket.

Both Coffey and Fondren point to one play that makes the lineup work. When Coffey brings the ball up, Syracuse can run a 1-3-1 offense, allowing the 5-foot-11 Fondren to back down smaller defenders in the high post. Fondren let out a big smile when asked about the play, and said she really enjoys the new facet of her game.

“If she plays the two, she’s going to get on the wing or get in the high post and drive,” Coffey said. “She’s defensive-minded, but she also can score when she gets the ball inside.”

Coffey, a starter in all the Orange’s games this season who averages almost 22 minutes per game, said her main focus is being aware of who’s on the floor. Even with Fondren, Coffey is the primary ball handler. Like any point guard, her primary focus is to put the players around her in places where they can excel.

But when the defense is sleeping, she can attack. Against Virginia on Jan. 26, Coffey scored 17 points and led SU to an 84-75 win.

Fondren, who started 31-of-32 games last year as a freshman, averages 12 minutes. Against the Tar Heels, she played a season-high 19 minutes. Against Virginia Tech last Thursday she tied a career-high with nine points.

And even though the only time Fondren has played off the ball was during stints in high school, she relishes the new role. Fondren said even when she and Coffey play together, Hillsman sometimes tells her to bring the ball up the floor.

The lineup also uses the team’s depth at point guard to its advantage.

The Coffey-Fondren combination enables Hillsman to strategically use Peterson. In the 23 games she’s played so far this season, the freshman has played more than 15 minutes 10 times.

Nine of those have come in the last nine games. Against Georgia Tech, it was Peterson’s second-half effort that led the Orange to a 76-70 win.

But other than Sykes, the veteran point guards Coffey and Fondren average the most time of any of the team’s guards.

Said Fondren: “We complement each other. When she’s in the game, she can handle the ball and I can play defense.”

Published on February 13, 2014 at 2:54 am

Contact Josh: jmhyber@syr.edu