Analysis: 200 Wins and Counting for Hillsman

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In his first attempt to get his 200th victory of his collegiate coaching career, Syracuse University head women's basketball coach Quentin Hillsman and his Orange faced a mighty challenge. The team faced No. 12/12 Duke in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Jan. 3 in the Carrier Dome, but certainly did not look fazed as it coasted to an 86-50 win.

"I did not know that this was my 200th win," added Hillsman. "When you reach these little milestones, you feel good. It is all about the players. We have had great players in this program. I have not played one possession. I have just coached a bunch of talented kids. They have won a lot of games for me. They have played hard and they have to deal with me every day. To be here for 200 wins is a great feeling and I am really happy for our players for sticking with me and playing hard."

His players certainly played one of the best games in program history on Sunday afternoon on their home court. Syracuse dismantled Duke, forcing 32 turnovers on the defensive end and knocking down 50 percent of its field goal attempts on offense. When all was said and done, the Orange recorded its largest margin of victory against a top-25 opponent in program history. It also marked Duke's largest margin of defeat in conference play since a 97-61 loss against Virginia on Feb. 13, 1993.

The Class of 2016 has played a large part in Hillsman's success at Syracuse. After Sunday's win against Duke, the group had accumulated 80 victories in their time on campus. Redshirt junior guard Brittney Sykes notched 13 points against the Blue Devils and praised her head coach following the game.

"It feels good that we are all a part of his history and 200 wins," stated Sykes. "He fights us for us just like we fight for him on the court. I am happy that we could do that for him and get him that 200th win at the Dome."

Hillsman, now in his 10th season at the helm of the Orange program, ranks second in program history behind Barbara Jacobs in coaching victories. Jacobs won 229 games from 1979-93. Hillsman does own the top winning percentage in Syracuse history, winning more than 64 percent of his games coached. At the end of the day though, Hillsman said it all came down to the players.

"It is just about players," concluded Hillsman. "I wish I could sit here, take all this credit, and say it is something that I have done. You have to get the best players possible to help us win championships. That is what we have done. We have recruited the best players that we can and help us win."

Syracuse returns to the court on Thursday evening when it heads down to Chapel Hill, N.C. for a matchup with North Carolina. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. in Carmichael Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN3.

For the latest news on the Syracuse women's basketball program, follow /SyracuseWBB on Facebook, @CuseWBB on Instagram, and @CuseWBB on Twitter.

Syracuse University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Brittney Sykes

Related Videos