Warrick’s 27 Points Lead SU in 91-74 Victory at Miami
2/13/2004 2:12:16 PM | Men's Basketball
CORAL GABLES, FL -- Junior forward Hakim Warrick hit all 11 of his field goal attempts, and was 5-of-6 from the free throw line to score a game-high 27 points leading the 25th-ranked Orangemen in their 91-74 victory at the University of Miami. Sophomore guard Gerry McNamara contributed 23 points, including five three-point field goals, and dished out a game-high six assists for Syracuse, which improved its record to 16-5 overall and 6-4 in the BIG EAST.
The Orangemen shot a season-high 64.4 percent from the field, hitting 38-of-59 field goals. The shooting performance was SU's best since connecting on 67.9 percent in a March 17, 1995 game against Southern Illinois. The 91 points is the most for the Orangemen since they beat Boston College, 99-73, on January 10.
Warrick scored 10 of his 21 first-half points during a 20-2 seven minute SU run that gave the Orangemen a 38-22 lead with 5:08 remaining in the opening period. Warrick hit 9-of-9 field goals and was 3-of-3 from the free throw line in the first 20 minutes and SU had a 54-33 advantage at the half. The 54 first half points was the most for the Orangemen this season.
The contest was the 900th of Jim Boeheim's tenure as head coach at his alma mater.
After Miami opened the second half with a six-minute 17-7 scoring run to cut the SU margin to 13, 63-50, with 13:50 remaining, the Orangemen outscored the Hurricanes 17-6 in the next four and one half minutes to take an 80-56 lead with 9:00 left to play. McNamara sparked the Orangemen during that run, hitting three field goals from behind the three-point arc. Senior center Jeremey McNeil scored four of his season-high 10 points during the SU run. McNeil also blocked two shots, had two rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes of action. McNeil has recorded at least one rejection in 14-of-20 games this season, including 12 of the last 14.
Warrick, who is a semi-finalist for the Wooden Award and is a Naismith Award candidate, scored in double-figures for the 20th time this season and for the 32nd time in his last 34 games. During his SU tenure, the Orangemen are 48-10 when Warrick scores 10-or-more points. His 11-for-11 effort from the field is the best by a BIG EAST performer, tying Brian Shorter of Pittsburgh (11-11 vs. Providence, 2/10/90) and Rutgers' Rob Hodgson (11-11 vs. WVU, 1/31/99). Rick Dean once made all 13 of his field goal attempts in a 1966 SU game against Colgate.
McNamara’s five three-point field goals increases his season total to 69, which is five shy of the SU record for trifectas by a sophomore and is 19 away from SU’s single-season record of 88, set by Preston Shumpert in 2001-02.
Junior guard Josh Pace scored 13 points and had five assists and four steals, while, junior center Craig Forth added nine points, four rebounds and three blocked shots.
Syracuse will host Notre Dame on Monday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Carrier Dome in a nationally televised game on ESPN. Tickets are available at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), by telephone (1-888-DOMETIX) or via the internet (www.dometix.com).
