Syracuse Basketball: Dyaisha Fair is gone, but the Orange still deserves our love

Dyaisha Fair is no longer playing for the Syracuse Orange women's basketball program. The phenomenal athlete had fans buzzing the last two seasons since she followed head coach Felisha Legette-Jack to Syracuse from Buffalo.

But with college sports limiting the amount of time a player can play at that level, Fair graduated and moved on to play professional basketball.

But what is next for this team and this program now? Is there reason to still believe in this team?

Yes. I still believe in Coach Jack and this program, and this team still has many great players who will be exciting to watch in 2024-25. In its first game of the season, the Orange beat Niagara 108-84 and were fun to watch.

Syracuse women's basketball can have a terrific 2024-25 season.

Let's start with the two seniors I expect to have huge success this season: Kyra Wood and Georgia Woolley. Both players led the team in scoring against Niagara, with 19 points from Wood and 18 from Woolley.

Woolley is a 6-foot Aussie Aussie Aussie oy oy oy guard who when hot, will hit from outside and be a major contributor, whereas the Buffalo native Wood will be a threat penetrating and on the boards as well (along with Keira Scott) that I believe will see an increase in playing time this season.

Also let me be clear, this is a very talented and balanced team. Just because I named those two doesn't mean others can't and won't contribute or maybe even become stars as the season progresses.

For instance, graduate player Dominique Camp was injured all last regular season but scored in double digits and had 9 assists against Niagara. Freshman Shy Hawkins looked really impressive as well and also scored in double digits and made a couple of plays that made the SU highlight reel.

This team has a few freshmen, a couple of transfers, and another graduate student in Izabel Varejao who will have the chance to contribute, and I saw some very good point guard style play from freshman Olivia Schmitt and sophomore Sophie Burrows, who I believe will do well controlling the pace that Coach Jack wants from this team.

So I said all that to say this, losing Fair and others who left the program will not be easy to replace. But what I have seen so far in the exhibition win against Daemen (they won 90-50) and the opener against Niagara is enough to make me believe this is still a team with a viable chance to have post-season tournament success, especially if they can play as a team.

Also, maybe it's the homer in me or maybe I just love her style, but I believe in Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack as the leader of this program. She rallies her players, she rallies for the program, the school and the community even. And I have never once questioned her decision-making as a head coach.

Having a coach like Coach Jack and her staff, and seeing the balanced play and heart this team plays with, makes them fun to watch and believe in this season. And with Saint Joseph's on Sunday and Maryland on Wednesday (both at home), I expect to get a better taste of what this team will have in store for the rest of the season, leading up to the start of the ACC portion of the schedule on December 8th at home against Notre Dame.

I hope more fans will watch and support this team and remember that the Syracuse basketball season isn't just about the guys anymore, with the future being bright on the women's side of the game as well. Go Orange!