Syracuse University
Providence
#23/23 Providence Downs Syracuse, 74-61
2/7/2004 3:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The #18/20 Orangemen (14-5, 4-4) lost their second straight game to a ranked BIG EAST opponent, 74-61, to #23/23 Providence (15-5, 6-3) on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.
It was the first time SU lost two consecutive contests versus ranked conference foes since the 1995-96 campaign when the Orangemen lost at #5 Connecticut, 79-70, on Jan. 21, 1996 and #6 Georgetown, 83-64, on Jan. 24, 1996.
The defeat broke SU's six-game winning streak at the Dunkin' Donuts Center (formerly the Providence Civic Center). The Orangemen's last loss at Providence came on Jan. 25, 1994. The Orangemen still hold a 37-9 lead in the overall series.
Freshman #Demetris Nichols#, a Barrington, R.I. product, made his third straight start and paced the Orange with a career-best 17 points. He also pulled down seven boards, one shy of his career high. Nichols was 7-of-15 from the field with two three-pointers. Junior #Craig Forth# added 12 points. Junior #Hakim Warrick#, the BIG EAST's third-leading scorer at 19.8 points per game was held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season and finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
SU scored the first six points of the contest, but Providence responded with an 11-2 run to take a three-point advantage with 12:24 left to play in the first half. The Friars' Ryan Gomes tallied seven straight points in the scoring spurt. Sophomore #Gerry McNamara# tied the score, 11-11, with a three-pointer, but a basket by Syracuse native Marcus Douthit and four points by Dwight Brewington had Providence ahead 17-11 at 10:34. Back-to-back treys by Chris Anrin and Brewington extended the Friars' advantage to 23-12. After another 8-2 scoring burst the Friars held a 15-point cushion, 31-16, at the 3:59 mark. SU netted six straight points to cut the Providence margin to nine, 31-22, at 1:16. Two free throws by Donnie McGrath gave Providence a 33-22 edge at the break.
Syracuse notched seven consecutive points to start the second frame. Nichols opened the period with a field goal and Warrick recorded his first basket to make the score 33-26. A Nichols three had SU within four, but McGrath responded with a triple to put the Friars up, 36-29. With the score 43-36, McGrath and Sheiku Kabba each drained consecutive triples to push the Friars' margin to 19, 55-36, at 10:46. Another McGrath three gave Providence its biggest lead of the game, 63-42, with 7:27 left on the clock. Trailing by 20, 67-47, Syracuse went on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to nine with 2:21 left, but the Friars outscored SU 7-3 the rest of the way to earn the win.
Five Friars scored in double digits. Douthit and McGrath led Providence with 16 points each. Kabba added 14, Gomes contributed 12 and Brewington scored 10. Douthit also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked five shots.
Guard #Billy Edelin# saw his first game action since the Pittsburgh contest and scored five points off the bench. Edelin sat out the last two games for personal reasons.
McNamara fouled out with 2:11 left in the contest. It was only the second disqualification of his career and the first since his first collegiate game versus Memphis on Nov. 14, 2002.
Providence was 10-of-25 from three-point range (.400), including 8-of-15 in the second half. The Friars also made 16-of-19 free throws (.842), including all seven of their attempts in the second half. SU connected on just 5-of-14 attempts from the charity stripe (.357).
The Orangemen will return home to face Rutgers on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m.
