Syracuse women’s basketball: Dyaisha Fair named Nancy Lieberman Award finalist, earns ACC Player of the Week honor

Jan 31, 2023 - 6:00 PM

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It’s been quite a week for Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team star guard Dyaisha Fair on the court. Now, her recent performances are translating into national recognition.

On Monday, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association selected Fair as one of ten finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which recognizes the nation’s top point guard each season.

Fair is averaging 19.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.6 steals in 34.9 minutes per game while shooting 39% from the field, 36% from three, and 81% from the foul line. She currently leads the team in minutes, points, assists, steals, and free throw percentage. Fair has reached double-figures in points in all 22 of the Orange’s games this season.

Fair is one of two point guards from the ACC selected as top-10 finalists, joining Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles. Fair currently ranks second in points per game, second in steals per game, third in three-point percentage, third in made threes per game, and fourth in assists per game in the conference.

Additionally, Fair secured her first ACC Player of the Week nod, becoming the first Syracuse player to earn the honor this season.

She averaged 27.5 points per game against the Virginia Cavaliers and Louisville Cardinals, including a season-high 36 points in the Orange’s 18-point home victory Thursday night against the Cavaliers. That performance included Fair shooting 11/16 from the field and 8/11 from three, tying the Syracuse record for most threes made in a women’s basketball game. Against Louisville, Fair still finished with 19 points on 7/11 shooting from the field and 5/7 from three despite missing most of the first quarter with a lower-body injury.

In total, Fair averaged 27.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game against Virginia and Louisville while shooting 60% from the field and nearly 73% (!!!) from three.

Have a week, Dyaisha.