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On Thursday afternoon, SU women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack offered an apology for her fiery postgame remarks following Syracuse’s (2-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) 73-70 loss to UAlbany Wednesday. The apology came during an appearance on ESPN Syracuse.

“I have this amazing school that I get to coach at and I certainly used language that I am not proud of in the press room,” she said this afternoon. “That doesn’t fit my character, the character I have for my family, nor for my team or the people I surround myself with. For that, I definitely want to apologize. I hope we do understand that I value my fans and friends that do come.”

Before the press conference, Legette-Jack said she composed herself, Georgia Woolley and Izabel Varejão, who were “really emotional,” but when she entered the press room she noticed the assembled media laughing and “having a good time.”

“That really sparked something in me and made me have a conversation with my players publicly,” Legette-Jack recalled. “I shared with them, everyone doesn’t see women’s basketball the way we see it or feel it the way we feel it.”

Legette-Jack mentioned she values the “loyal 2,000” fans that show up for SU’s games. She also noted that people reached out to her following her remarks saying they were “guilty” for not coming to games and that they will start attending more contests.

UAlbany’s Lilly Phillips’ 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining handed the Orange a shocking defeat. At the postgame presser, Legette-Jack gave an impassioned two-and-a-half-minute opening statement.

“This is what I’ve been telling our young people on this team. Nobody cares about our program. Nobody cares about women’s basketball,” Legette-Jack said to begin her remarks.

The third-year head coach then called out the lack of fan support at the game Wednesday. The announced attendance was 2,038, the second-lowest of the season only ahead of SU’s opening game versus Niagara on Nov. 5.

“But I’m trying to get our kids to understand we’ve got to be so locked into us that we don’t see that the fan base is like 12 people here,” Legette-Jack said, pounding the table. “We can’t see people that’s not on the court, not really locked in. Because it’s about our dreams. It’s about our decision that we’re going to rise above it all.”

Legette-Jack then shifted her focus to the loss to UAlbany, the Orange’s third loss in their first five games and the second defeat to a non-Power Four team.

“Albany is a good team. I’m going to say on the record that the better team did not win today, but the better prepared team won today,” Legette-Jack said. “The team that decided that every single possession was going to matter as if their life depended on it.”

Her focus then returned to the SU fan base and media gathered in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“I’m glad I walked in when I did so our players can see. Nobody f**king cares man. We up here crying outside … let’s go have a party in here. It’s not you guys, it’s everybody,” Legette-Jack said.

The reigning ACC Coach of the Year said her team will “hunker down and turn the noise out from the people on the outside.” Instead, Legette-Jack said her team will look inside and “get real with each other.”

“This is a perfect situation for us. This is what’s supposed to have happened for us right now. And we’ll get better,” Legette-Jack said to conclude her opening remarks.

The postgame press conference continued from there. Woolley and Varejão answered questions before exiting and Legette-Jack answered questions. On the final answer of the press conference, Legette-Jack, a Syracuse native who played collegiately at SU, addressed her hometown.

“If they’re real fans, and they really love me like I think that should, they come to the game and really be a part of this thing and not just send 30 people to this game,” she said. “So I’m disappointed in my fan base here. If I’m home and this is supposed to be home, prove it. This is ridiculous. I’m the coach that’s from this place. And this is the respect that we get here? My mom always said you can love somebody, but if they ain’t loving you back, you gotta love somebody else.”

In the aftermath of Legette-Jack’s postgame remarks, she appeared on ESPN Syracuse, where she commented on what she had to say.

“I called my city out, and I told them I need them, and I know they’re coming and I know they’re going to support me,” Legette-Jack said. “Certainly didn’t want to swear. Certainly didn’t want to say it in a derogatory way that I said it … I would love to see more butts in the seat. That’s the way I should have said it. But I said it a little bit harsh … I’m certain my community is going to forgive me.”

Published on November 21, 2024 at 4:49 pm

Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu