Men's Basketball Routs Texas Tech, 81-46

Thursday, November 17

Madison Square Garden

9:00pm

Syracuse University

2 K College Hoop Classic vs.Texas Tech

Gerry McNamara recorded his 300th career three-point basket and finished with 12 points and nine assists in the win against the Red Raiders.

11/18/2005 12:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

NEW YORK – Syracuse (3-0) will play Florida (3-0) in the championship game of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic on Friday, Nov. 18, at 9 p.m. (ESPN2) thanks to an 81-46 victory against Texas Tech in the tournament's second semifinal at Madison Square Garden. Earlier in the evening, the Gators knocked off No. 18-ranked Wake Forest, 77-72. Syracuse will be looking to win the tournament for the second year in a row.

SU coach Jim Boeheim was able to celebrate his 61st birthday after receiving point production from all 10 players he sent into the game and his team never trailed. Senior Gerry McNamara was one of four players in double figures, leading the way with 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals. Junior forward Demetris Nichols had a team-high nine points in the first half and finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Louie McCroskey tallied 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. Freshmen Eric Devendorf and Arinze Onuaku made the most of their minutes played. Devendorf scored a career-high 11 points, while Onuaku finished with six points and eight boards.

After missing its first seven shots, Syracuse led 11-0 and went on to build a 16-point, first-half advantage. Forward Matt Gorman made his presence known quickly after entering the game with a steal on the defensive end. He then came down the floor and set a strong screen for McNamara, who eyed the shot, but passed off to a rolling Gorman, who drained his first career three-pointer. That particular play gave the Orange its largest lead of the first half, 20-4.

The Red Raiders got as close as seven points (20-13) in the opening period. Jarrius Jackson put a spin dribble on his defender to score. The Raiders got another bucket in the lane before forward Darryl Dora followed up a teammates' missed shot for another two points. Guard Martin Zeno converted a three-point play in transition to pull Texas Tech to within 20-13 with 6:51 remaining in the first half. Coach Bob Knight's team would never get closer than seven points the rest of the night.

Nichols knocked down a three-pointer that was set up for him by McNamara, to send the Orange to the lockerroom with a 34-22 halftime lead.

The Syracuse defense (11 steals for the game) went to work in the second half, forcing Texas Tech to turn the ball over. The SU steals translated to fast-break points for the Orange.

Zeno used a floater to pull the Red Raiders to within 11 points (37-26) early in the second stanza, but the Orange responded with a 15-2 run which broke the game open and gave the tournament's defending champion a 52-28 lead. During that stretch, McNamara had five points, including his 300^th career three-pointer, and three assists. He fed junior forward Terrence Roberts on two dunks.

It looked like Texas Tech might show signs of life when Jackson canned a three-point basket with approximately 13:12 remaining. It was the Red Raiders' first basket since the 17:10 mark, but the Syracuse defense kept bringing its pressure.

McCroskey had six points during one stretch. He went hard to the goal, had a putback and converted a layup off a steal. Meanwhile, Roberts followed up his own miss and McNamara drained another three to give SU a 63-31 lead with 9:07 remaining.