Syracuse ranks fourth in the nation in field goal percentage defense.
Storm Brewin' Sunday in the Dome
2/9/2007 7:22:17 AM | Men's Basketball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse men’s basketball team (16-8, 5-5) begins the stretch drive of the conference season on Sunday, Feb. 11 with a 2:00 p.m. clash against St. John’s (14-10, 5-6) at the Carrier Dome. Both teams have five wins in the BIG EAST and are part of group of four squads in the middle of the standings with five league triumphs heading into this weekend. The game will be televised live on ESPN Regional (Time Warner 26 in Syracuse). Live audio of the contest can be heard on suathletics.com via Orange All Access and fans can also tune in to the Syracuse Radio Network broadcast on WAQX (95.7 FM) and WNSS (1260 AM). Fans should also stay tuned for the Orange All Access postgame show, hosted by John Nicholson, immediately following the contest. Sirius Satellite Radio listeners can hear the game on Channel 181.
After stopping its three-game losing streak against DePaul on Feb. 3, the Orange lost a tight game as part of Rivalry Week on ESPN Monday at Connecticut. With two of its starting big men (Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins) in foul trouble, the Huskies outrebounded SU, 49-32, in the game. Connecticut scored 10 of the game’s last 13 points and also went to the foul line 37 times in its 67-60 victory.
SU rookie Paul Harris has stepped up his game during the last two weeks. The Niagara Falls native has two double-doubles in the Orange’s last three games and leads the team with five. He tallied 13 points and grabbed 10 boards at Connecticut. Harris is the BIG EAST’s top freshman rebounder at 7.0 per game.
Senior Demetris Nichols continues to be the team’s best option on offense. He scored 20 points at Connecticut, his 13th 20-point outing of the season. He leads the conference in scoring (18.6 ppg) and has at least one 3-point field goal in each of the last 29 games dating back to last season.
Despite its 1-4 record in the last five games, the Orange continues to be one of the top defensive teams in the nation inside the 3-point arc. It is holding its opponents to an average shooting percentage of 37.6 per game which is the fourth-best mark in Division I. It has also blocked 178 shots this season, and ranks in the top five nationally in blocks per game.
Opponents have had some success with the 3-point shot. The Orange has given up 190 three’s this season and one-third of its opponent’s field goals have been from beyond the 3-point line. SU is eighth in the BIG EAST in 3-point percentage defense.
Sunday’s clash is the second time in three weeks SU and St. John’s will have meet on the basketball floor. The Red Storm defeated SU earlier in the campaign, 64-60. It stopped Syracuse’s streak of 47 consecutive victories against New York institutions and a six-game winning streak against St. John’s.
After a slow start in league play, which included four losses in five outings, the Red Storm has regrouped and won four of its last six. St. John’s owns back-to-back victories against Cincinnati (73-64) and South Florida (66-62). The Red Storm also own a 71-68 upset win versus nationally-ranked Notre Dame.
Norm Roberts is in his third season as head coach at St. John’s. He’s produced a 35-43 record during his tenure.
Senior forward Lamont Hamilton leads St. John’s in scoring (13.4 ppg.) and rebounding (6.6). Junior guard Avery Patterson ranks second in scoring (11.5 ppg.) and tops the club with 62 three-point baskets. Sophomore forward Anthony Mason is averaging 6.6 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Syracuse leads the all-time series, 42-37, and is 22-11 in game’s played at home versus the Red Storm.
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