#20/20 SU Stopped By #8/7 Villanova, 80-65

Saturday, January 21

Philadelphia, PA

6:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

#8/7 Villanova

Junior forward Terrence Roberts scored 20 points in the loss to the Wildcats.

1/21/2006 8:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Despite a 17-2 run to start the second half which brought #20/20 Syracuse (15-4, 3-2 BIG EAST) back from a 21-point deficit, the Orange never pulled within four in an 80-65 loss to #8/7 Villanova (13-2, 4-1 BIG EAST) at the Wachovia Center. The contest was played in front of 20,581, the largest crowd ever gathered for a college basketball game in the state of Pennsylvania.

Villanova senior guards Allan Ray and Randy Foye combined for 42 points in the victory, the third-straight conference win for the Wildcats. Ray scored a game-high 22 points, including 16 in the first half. He also grabbed eight rebounds.

It was the second consecutive loss for the Orange against a Top 10-ranked opponent. Just five days ago, SU lost an 88-80 decision to No. 3 Connecticut.

Similar to the UConn game, the Orange found itself trailing 12-0 to start the game. Villanova opened the contest with three-straight 3's, including two by junior guard Mike Nardi. Syracuse got on the scoreboard when senior guard Gerry McNamara sank two free throws and then canned a pull-up jumper to make it 12-4. Unfortunately, those would be his only four points of the night.

Foye nailed a 15-foot jump shot from the right elbow and Ray drained back-to-back 3's to give Villanova a 20-4 lead within the game's first seven minutes. The Wildcats increased the spread to 19 points following Ray's third 3-pointer and a made free throw by Jason Fraser.

With less than two minutes remaining in the half, Villanova was ahead 37-16, thanks to a three-point play converted by Ray on an offensive rebound. He was fouled on the layup and made his free throw to give the Wildcats a 21-point advantage, its largest of the night. Villanova led by 21 again after Ray sank two free throws with five seconds remaining in the first half. SU cut it under 20 as sophomore guard Josh Wright ran the length of the floor and scored on a scoop shot at the buzzer to make it 39-20 at the break.

The Orange registered the first 10 points of the second half. Junior forward Demetris Nichols and freshman guard Eric Devendorf each had five points. Nichols hit a field goal from beyond the three-point arc to start things off. Devendorf then cashed in on an open 17-foot jumper. He hit a three-point basket and then Nichols scored off a layup to make it a nine-point game (39-30).

Syracuse ended up going on a 17-2 run, with Villanova's two points coming from the foul line. Junior forward Terrence Roberts had back-to-back dunks to get it down to seven points (41-34), while Devendorf's second 3 of the night brought the Orange to within four, 41-37, with 14:12 remaining.

The Wildcats quickly pushed it back to a nine-point differential after sinking three free throws on a three-shot foul and a runner in the lane by Nardi.

SU answered by scoring the next five points –a free throw by junior guard Louie McCroskey, a Roberts finish off a McNamara feed, and a Devendorf lefty drive – to get Syracuse back within four points, 46-42, with 11:53 still on the clock.

The Wildcats went on a 14-2 run to go back ahead by 16 (60-44) with 7:21 remaining. Foye scored six of the 14 points, while Kyle Lowry converted a three-point play and Ray drilled a long two-point basket.

Roberts tallied 10 of his 20 points in the final seven minutes of the game, including his first three-pointer of the season and a pretty cross-over dribble and pull-up jumper along the baseline. His free throw with 3:51 remaining cut Villanova's lead to nine points, 66-57, and that is as close as Syracuse would get.

The Wildcats led by as many as 15 points on four different occasions down the stretch, including the final score of 80-65.

Devendorf ended up with a team-high 21 points (7-of-13 FG) before fouling out in 28 minutes of action. McCroskey and Darryl Watkins also fouled out. Nichols finished the contest with 10 points and a squad-best seven rebounds. McNamara dished out seven assists and did not attempt a three-pointer for the first time in his 119-game career.

McNamara moved into third place on the school's all-time minutes played list (4,238) ahead of John Wallace.

For Villanova, Lowry chipped in with 11 points, while Nardi had 10 points and seven assists.

It does not get any easier for the Orange as it travels to No. 9 Pittsburgh (15-1, 4-1 BIG EAST) for its next game on Jan. 23. The game will be televised LIVE from the Peterson Events Center by ESPN at 7 p.m.