Dyaisha Fair said 2 words to her coach and delivered Syracuse an NCAA Tournament win: 'That's what stars do'

Source: syracuse

Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack walked onto the court before the fourth quarter of Syracuse's NCAA Tournament game on Saturday and faced down a dire situation.

The Orange was tied with a talented Arizona team, heading into what could have been the Orange's final quarter of basketball. Her star, Dyaisha Fair, lay on the ground, her knee in pain, terrible possibilities running through her head.

"There are too many cameras here for you to be crying,"-Jack said she told Fair, as games and seasons and professional careers flashed before the eyes of those watching the Orange in a 74-69 win over Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

"When she was down I told her, 'You can't be crying. There's too many cameras on you,'' " Legette-Jack said. "She said, 'Gimme a towel.'

"When you say something fun like that to them the tears go away. Now you can focus on what the pain is like."

Fair was helped into a tunnel by Syracuse trainers during the break, careful not to put any weight on her lower body.

"I twisted (my knee) and then landed on it, I think," Fair said. "It was an overwhelming thing at first. When stuff like that happens, you think the worst. At first it was just overwhelming."

The pain subsided. Fair returned. She walked the length of the bench, slapping palms with Legette-Jack before plopping down nearby, ready to jump back in at the next opportunity.

"She said two words, 'I'm good,' Legette-Jack said. "I smacked her hand so hard I might have broke her arm. You know that's a fourth-quarter kid. When she says I'm good, you say, 'Who's coming out.' "

Syracuse managed to tread water for 2 minutes and 9 seconds without Fair, the only time she left the floor. A pull-up jumper by Kennedi Perkins kept the game tied until her return, setting up a nip-and-tuck finish.

"You all had a chance to witness a really good women's basketball game," Legette-Jack said.

And a chance to witness Fair, at her best, at least one more time.

Her performance allowed Syracuse to continue a season in which it set school records for regular-season wins (23) and conference wins (13). The Orange, the No. 6 seed in its quarter of the NCAA Tournament bracket, will face No. 3 UConn on Monday at 6 p.m. The Huskies, a national power, have won 26 consecutive meetings.

After working to involve her teammates and navigate Arizona's pressure defense for most of the night, the biggest moments -- as they usually do -- fell to Fair.

The All-American scored the final 13 points for Syracuse. She finished with 32, the most that a Syracuse women's basketball player has ever scored in the NCAA Tournament. She added six steals, four assists and turned the ball over just twice two against a defense that pressured constantly.

Despite that the Orange trailed 66-61 with 2:43 minutes remaining. Then Fair reeled off the game's next 11 points.

She hit a mid-range jumper and stole the ball on Arizona's next trip up the floor. The Wildcats fouled to avoid surrendering a layup. Fair hit another jumper on the ensuing possession, this one after Kyra Wood kept an offensive rebound alive and Georgia Wooley secured it.

Then came the shining moment, a step-back 3-pointer that put the Orange ahead 68-66 with 1:17 remaining.

After Syracuse drew an offensive foul, she knocked down another step-back jumper, forcing Arizona to foul to the finish.

"She took over the game," said Arizona head coach Adia Barnes. "She took over the game when it mattered. That's what stars do. That's what All-Americans do. That's what pros do."

Barnes would know. She is a former WNBA champion. She took Arizona to the national title game in 2021.

It was an incredible performance. And it was one that Fair has made feel so routine this season that Wood, her teammate, was able to say, with a straight face: "I expect that from her."

When it ended, Fair's teammates jumped and hugged each other on their way off the floor. Fair walked off alone, largely expressionless, taking in the moment.

In the locker room afterward a bag of ice rested on her thigh. She said her knee was fine, even though she took another knock late in the game. She said she'd be ready to do it again.

"We've been there before," Fair said. "When you have experience you know what it takes to win and you know what it takes to have success. The scorer I am, the confidence I have, and the confidence that my teammates and coaches have instilled in me over the year it was just keep going. Keep going and trust your work."