Orange Cruises Past Baylor, 94-71

Saturday, December 16

Carrier Dome

7:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Baylor

Demetris Nichols has scored 82 points in the past three games

12/16/2006 9:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SU Player Quotes

Syracuse, N.Y.- Demetris Nichols scored a career-high 28 points for the second-consecutive game and the #23/ARV Syracuse Orange (9-2) controlled the Baylor Bears (6-3), 94-71, in its highest scoring game of the season.

Nichols' 26 points against Oklahoma State, combined with his back-to-back 28 point outings, makes the highest three-game output of his collegiate career (82 points).

Darryl Watkins tied his career-high with 15 points, including a career-best seven free throws, and led the Orange with eight rebounds. Paul Harris scored 15 points, 13 of them in the final eight minutes of the game, and also had eight boards. Andy Rautins scored 10 points in his first career start. Eric Devendorf added 11 points and was a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.

Syracuse recorded a season-best 24 assists, including a nine from Josh Wright, who tied his career-best total. The Orange committed only 12 turnovers and went the first eight minutes of the game without a miscue.

Rautins started the scoring for Syracuse with a three-pointer. After a pair of Baylor free throws, Wright threw an alley oop pass to Watkins for a slam to put the Orange up 5-4. Nichols then came down with a rebound and threw a long bounce pass out in front of Roberts, who maneuvered around Baylor's Aaron Bruce for a layup.

Nichols ignited the Orange offense, scoring seven points in a three minute span. Nichols made a fastbreak layup, an off-balance jumper and a three-pointer as the Orange lead stretched to 20-11 at 13:20. Syracuse went more than five minutes without a field goal after that as the Bears chipped away at the lead. Curtis Jerrells and Tweety Carter each contributed four points and the only Syracuse offense came from Devendorf, who made seven-consecutive free throws. Wright found Nichols underneath for a layup at the 7:50 to put the Orange back up by 10, 29-19. Nichols then showed he could provide on the defense end as well, blocking a Kevin Rogers layup on the ensuing possession.

Baylor scored six unanswered points over the next 1:34. Jerrells led the Bears on the run as he made a jumper in the paint, threw an alley oop pass to Rogers and made a fastbreak layup. The Orange answered right back when Roberts hit a jumper from the elbow and Wright connected with Nichols for a fastbreak layup to maintain a 10 point edge, 35-25. Syracuse closed out the first half with a 7-4 run to stake claim to a 41-29 halftime lead.

Just as he did against Colgate a week earlier, Nichols took over in the second half; single-handedly leading Syracuse on a 10-2 run. He made two jumpers in the first 30 seconds and then knocked down consecutive three-pointers and the Orange's lead grew to 20 points, 51-31.

Baylor tried to claw back in the game with a 17-9 run over the next 5:29. Carter nailed a three-pointer to pull the Bears within 12 points, but Matt Gorman answered with a three of his own for the Orange. Carter came back with another shot from long range, but Paul Harris made a jump shot and Nichols connected on a three-pointer from the right side to put the Orange up by 17, 68-51, with eight minutes to go in the half.

Carter led the Bears with a career-high 31 points, including seven three-point field goals. Jerrells chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.

Syracuse returns to the court on Tuesday when it hosts Drexel at 7:00 p.m.