Devendorf Scores Career-High 23 At St. John's

Sunday, January 21

Madison Square Garden

2:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

St. John's

Eric Devendorf scored 15 of his career-best 23 points on three-pointers

1/21/2007 4:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

New York, N.Y.-Eric Devendorf scored a career-high 23 points, but Syracuse (15-5, 4-2) lost to St. John's (11-8, 2-4), 64-60, at Madison Square Garden. Devendorf scored 18 points in the final 10 minutes.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Syracuse grabbed a one-point advantage, 58-57, on a three-pointer by Demetris Nichols with 1:47 left. The Red Storm responded, as Avery Patterson scored seven points in 28 seconds to give St. John's its first win against Syracuse in the last seven meetings between the two schools. The loss is Syracuse's first to a New York State school since it lost to St. John's, 76-75, on February 19, 2000; a span of 47 consecutive games.

Paul Harris tied his career-high with 12 rebounds, and also had two blocks and two steals. Terrence Roberts had a double-double for the third-consecutive game with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Demetris Nichols was the other Orange player in double-figures with 12 points, but foul trouble limited his playing time.

Anthony Mason, Jr. scored eight of his team-high 16 points in the first four minutes as St. John's jumped out to a 13-2 lead. Syracuse struggled shooting the ball early, going 1-for-8 from the field and 0-for-3 from the free throw line.

Roberts scored seven points during a 9-1 run that pulled the Orange within four points, 14-11. The Red Storm maintained a three-point edge for the next six minutes of the half. Harris hit a pair of free throws at 2:41 to knot the score at 26, then Andy Rautins came up with a steal and threw a pass the length of the court to a wide open Roberts, who threw down a dunk to give Syracuse its first lead of the game, 28-26, with 1:46 remaining in the half.

St. John's managed to regain the lead with a free throw and a tip-in in the final minute. The lead could have been more, but Darryl Watkins blocked a last-second shot after turning the ball over on an inbounds pass. St. John's was 5-of-9 from the field when it established its early lead, but was just 4-of-25 the rest of the first half.

Qa'rraan Calhoun scored six points for St. John's and Larry Wright converted a three-point play as St. John's extended its lead, 44-36, with 13 minutes left in the game. St. John's first seven field goals of the second half were in the paint.

Devendorf led the Orange back into the game, scoring 13 points during a 16-7 Syracuse run. After two free throws put St. John's up by four with six minutes remaining, Devendorf took the ball the length of the court for a layup. He hit a three-pointer from the top of the key on the next possession to give the Orange its second lead of the game, 52-51.

The lead changed hands five times in the final five minutes of the game. Down by two points, Nichols made a three-pointer from the corner to give Syracuse a one-point lead, 58-57, with 1:50 left. Patterson then hit a three-pointer as he was fouled, made the free throw, and hit another three on the next possession to provide the final margin of victory for St. John's.

Jim Boeheim will coach his 1,000th career game on Saturday against Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals at 7 p.m.