Warrick Scores 20 to Lead Orange Past Binghamton, 86-56

Saturday, December 11

Syracuse, NY

7:00 p.m.(Time Warner) delayed

Syracuse University

Binghamton

Player of the Year candidate Hakim Warrick

Warrick Scores 20 to Lead Orange Past Binghamton, 86-56

12/11/2004 10:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Player of the Year candidate Hakim Warrick scored a game-high 20 points and Gerry McNamara added 18 points to lead the #4/4 Orange to an 86-56 victory against the Binghamton Bearcats.

Sophomores Louie McCroskey and Darryl Watkins each had career-best performances. McCroskey, who was making his first career start, tallied 11 points and tied his career-bests in three-point baskets (2), assists (3) and steals (2). Watkins had career-highs in rebounds (8) and blocks (6).

Syracuse took an early 15-5 lead with five points coming from both McNamara and Warrick. Binghamton used the three-point shot to come within four, 15-11, with 12:27 left in the opening frame. Syracuse went on a 13-4 run during the next five minutes to take its largest lead of the opening half. McCroskey had five points for the Orange during the run. Binghamton pulled within six on a 13-6 run during the next 6:30, to make the score 34-28. Freshman Josh Wright had his second basket of the game with 1:06 left in the half to make the halftime score, 36-28.

SU opened the second stanza on a 15-5 run, capped by a three-pointer by McNamara, to give the Orange a 51-33 lead. Andre Heard scored his second three-pointer of the second half before SU scored the next nine points to extend its advantage to 24. The Bearcats went on an 11-6 run during the next 4:04, which included seven points by Troy Hailey, to pull within 19 but could not get any closer the rest of the game. The final score, 86-56, was one shy of SU's largest lead of the game.

Warrick finished with 20 points and five boards, while McNamara had 18 points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals and his first block of the season. Junior Billy Edelin finished with a season-high 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from the line. Josh Wright tied his season-bests with five points and six assists.

Nine players scored for the Orange, including four in double figures. SU had a season-high nine three-point baskets, led by McNamara's four, for a season-high .474 percentage from behind the arc.

Heard led the Bearcats with 17 points while Hailey finished with 16 points.

SU has won its last 32 games against New York State foes, a streak that dates back to the 1999-00 campaign.

The Orange hosts Drexel on Saturday, December 18, at 7:00 p.m.