Syracuse Basketball: Women’s team has a tough opener, ‘could win ACC’

The Syracuse basketball women’s squad is receiving some nice praise from a national writer.

The Syracuse basketball women’s team, set to face tough in-state foe Stony Brook on Sunday, has landed in the pre-season top-25 power rankings ahead of the 2020-21 stanza from CBS Sports writer Matt Ward.

He places the Orange at No. 19. Other Atlantic Coast Conference groups in Ward’s ratings are No. 3 Louisville, No. 9 N.C. State, No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 24 North Carolina.

"Ward had this to say about the ‘Cuse in his write-up within the power-rankings piece. “Quentin Hillsman’s team is going to be a very exciting team to watch and one that many people will be rooting for. The Orange return four starters and get Tiana Mangakahia back after missing all of last season. Her battle to defeat breast cancer was and continues to be an inspiration. She is also a terrific player. This is a team that could win the ACC.”"

The Syracuse basketball women’s squad is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press pre-season top-25 poll, as well as No. 21 in the Coaches pre-season top-25 ballot.

The Syracuse basketball women’s team has a tall task in its 2020-21 opener.

This Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2 pm, the Orange will make a trip to Stony Brook for an in-state duel at Island Federal Credit Union Arena, per a cuse.com press release.

In 2019-20, Stony Brook went an impressive 28-3 overall and captured both the America East Conference regular-season and post-season titles. The Seawolves at one point in the term won 22 games in a row.

Cuse.com says that the Orange and Stony Brook have suited up against one another on three occasions over the past five years, with Syracuse basketball succeeding in each meeting. Most recently, the Orange conquered the Seawolves, 81-70 in overtime, from the Carrier Dome on Dec. 3, 2017.

The ‘Cuse home opener in 2020-21 is at 7 pm on Wednesday, Dec. 2, versus Division II Lincoln, which recorded a program-record 23 victories against just six defeats a stanza ago.