When Bria Day sat out with a nagging injury, Syracuse head coach Quentin Hillsman toyed with several rotations. Many of them featured then-back up center Julia Chandler, a 6-foot-2 sophomore subbing in for starter Briana Day. Chandler appeared uncomfortable in a position, “I’ve never really played before.” The natural forward faced playing the 5, which meant handling bigger bodies on both ends of the floor.

As Bria Day eases her way back, Chandler can now play forward once again. Syracuse doesn’t have a reliable first player to come off the bench, but Chandler may be emerging as one. She’s acclimating to the stretch-4, a position in which she’s more comfortable because it allows her to rove the perimeter, shoot 3s and face up from midrange. Rather than play the backup 5, she can better space the floor for No. 20 Syracuse (6-3).

“That was always the plan once we got Bria back healthy,” Hillsman said. “To get her out facing the basket more.”

Against Michigan State on Nov. 30, Chandler stepped into a 3-pointer from the corner. She drained the triple, for her fourth long make in two games. She’s up to 24 3-point tries on the season, having attempted only 47 during her rookie year. It’s been a natural transition for someone with Chandler’s comfort level outside.

SU hasn’t gotten consistent production from its bigs, other than Briana Day. With starting forward Isabella Slim struggling, Chandler could come off the bench earlier. Such was the case against Central Connecticut State on Sunday, when Hillsman signaled for Chandler to enter after Slim didn’t get a rebound on the first possession of the game.

When Bria Day returned to the second unit at Drexel on Nov. 21, Chandler didn’t see the court. Losing Day for any longer may have challenged a relatively lean rotation, considering Chandler’s early-season struggles. She’s looked awkward at times, turning the ball over on dropped passes and losing her pivot foot, resulting in multiple travels.

Chandler went 5-for-7 from 3 over the next three games. And though she’s hit only one of her last 11 3-point tries, she’s more confident, her release cleaner, her jump higher and follow-through more extended.

“There was a turning point in my mind where I was just like, I might as well just accept I’m a stretch-4,” Chandler said.

Whether she plays more outside or near the basket depends on the defense, offensive play and score of the game. Her greatest asset, wherever she is on the floor, is her ability to draw opposing forwards out of the lane. Part of this can be attributed to more Syracuse pick-and-pops than when she played center, and part of it is thanks to her 3-point shot.

Chandler can now screen for point guard Alexis Peterson up top, then pop, whereas before she mostly rolled.

Finding the balance between perimeter and paint has not been easy for Chandler, who is sometimes out of place on offensive sets. Hillsman has waved her to move or set an off-ball screen. On the opposite end, she’s been more effective defending guards.

“She’s not very good yet defensively with bigs,” SU assistant coach Tammi Reiss said.

Chandler has flaws. She’s committed only six turnovers this season, but has hardly rebounded, averaging a measly 2.5 per game.

“It’s clearly something for improvement,” Chandler said.

To continue molding into a true stretch-4, Chandler acknowledges she needs to attack the glass better. But for now, Hillsman will take another evolving perimeter player who can shoot.

“We’re making like seven to eight 3s a game,” Hillsman said. “With Julia, we’re making closer to 10. So we need those two or three more 3s a game because it changes us from being a second-round team to a championship-level team.”

Published on December 6, 2016 at 9:21 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21