Dyaisha Fair and Syracuse women’s basketball are not quite ready for their season to end.
The Orange defeated Kent State 84-56 Wednesday at the JMA Wireless Dome in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
Fair dropped 24 points on 10-19 shooting to prolong her first season in orange. Fair followed Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack to Syracuse from the University at Buffalo prior to the 2022-23 season.
“I just had to revert back to who I was before coming here,” Fair said. “It was an adjustment getting here, and just saying [Kent State’s] name and knowing where they came from – it’s where I came from. Something clicked.”
Kent State, a former Mid-American Conference (MAC) rival of Fair and Legette-Jack, kept things close for one quarter before going cold and succumbing to the athleticism of the Orange.
“I was not crying when she got the Syracuse job,” Kent State Head Coach Todd Starkey quipped. “But it’s funny that we ended up back here – the irony of that. I knew, playing against her, every single time we’re gonna play against a tough competitive team.”
Graduate transfer forward Dariauna Lewis added 17 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks for SU. Senior guard Katie Shumate led Kent State with 18 points and 11 rebounds, her third consecutive game with at least that many of each.
The Golden Flashes controlled the first quarter, jumping out to a 16-13 lead after the frame. Shumate paced Kent State with 5 points and 7 rebounds through one.
In the second quarter, Fair took over. The senior guard, refusing to allow the game to be her final collegiate tussle, dropped 13 points in the second to put Syracuse up 38-29 at halftime.
The outcome was pushed out of question in the third quarter as Kent State’s turnovers stacked up. SU forced 19 turnovers in the contest.
“Against a team like Syracuse who can convert those into points so quickly, obviously [that] was the biggest thing,” Starley said. “Our field goal percentage struggled. I think Syracuse had a lot to do with that with their pressure, but once again, an uncharacteristic shooting night for us.”
Kent State finishes the season 21-11, its highest win total under Starkey and first 20-win season since 2011. The Golden Flashes finished the regular season in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Syracuse improves to 19-12 on the season, 15-3 at home and 5-0 in school history in the first round of WNIT.
“They weren’t going to be denied,” Legette-Jack said. “They wanted to buy 40 more minutes. I’m so proud to be a part of this, to witness what’s transpired behind closed doors.”
The Orange will take on the winner of Seton Hall in the second round of the WNIT. That matchup takes place Monday at 7 p.m. at Seton Hall’s Walsh Gymnasium.