Teacher and Pupil Meet Again Sunday When SU Hosts Providence

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - SU head coach Jim Boeheim will go head-to-head with one of his many coaching disciples on Sunday, Jan. 27 when Tim Welsh and the Providence Friars (12-6, 3-3) visit the Carrier Dome for a 2 p.m. contest. Welsh was an assistant at Syracuse from 1988-91 and is in his 10th season at Providence, piloting the Friars to a 167-133 record in his tenure.

Welsh won’t be the only familiar face on the opposing sideline Sunday. Former Orange guard Allen Griffin (1998-01) is a member of Welsh’s coaching staff. Griffin is in his second season with the Friars. He still ranks 10^th at SU in career assists and is the last Orange player to post a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against Pittsburgh in 2001.

Tickets for the Villanova game may be purchased on-line (click here), over the phone (1-888-DOMETIX), or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office during normal business hours. Once again, fans will be able to receive their tickets immediately after their purchase, using the “Print At Home” delivery method. For additional information, fans can contact the Carrier Dome Box Office toll free (888-366-3849) or (315-443-2121).

Voice of the Orange Matt Park and former men's hoops standout Gene Waldron will have the call on the Syracuse ISP Network’s flagship (TK-99.5 FM) with the pre-game show beginning an hour before tipoff. The radio network broadcast is available live on Orange All-Access. In addition, Sunday’s game will be televised live on ESPN Regional.

With a little more than month left in the regular season, both teams are trying to right the ship heading into the home stretch. The Orange (13-7, 3-4) is coming off back-to-back losses to ranked BIG EAST foes, including a 64-62 overtime defeat at Georgetown on Monday. Providence slipped in its last outing as well, losing to Seton Hall on Thursday night, 88-75. The Orange is currently 13^th in the league standings. Providence is tied for ninth.

Freshman guard Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls, N.Y.). has been an offensive in the last three games. He has scored 24, 23 and 24 points, respectively, in games against Rutgers, Villanova and Georgetown. Against the ninth-ranked Hoyas, Flynn kept SU in the game with 14 first-half points and nearly won the game in overtime, but his three with time expiring rimmed out. He is averaging 16.7 points per contest in BIG EAST play.

In addition to Flynn’s offensive production, rebounding kept SU within striking distance against the Hoyas. The Orange pulled down 43 rebounds against one of the most physical teams in the conference. Sixteen of those caroms came on the offensive end. In contrast, Georgetown had 33 total rebounds and seven offensive caroms.

Center Arinze Onuaku (Lanham, Md.) went toe-to-toe with Georgetown All-American Roy Hibbert and held his own, scoring 12 points and securing 13 boards. Sophomore Paul Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) did the job on the glass as well with 10 boards.

SU’s board work helped hold the Hoyas to just 64 points, 10 points below the Orange’s season scoring defense average.

Another strong defensive showing will be crucial against Providence’s balanced attack. Welsh’s squad boasts five players averaging double figures. Junior guards Jeff Xavier (12.9) and Weyinmi Eejuku (12.3), sophomore guard Brian McKenzie (12.2), junior forward Geoff McDermott (11.5) and sophomore guard Dwain Williams (10.3) are each scoring more than 10 points a game.

Many of those points come from beyond the arc as the Friars are among the league leaders in 3-point baskets, averaging more than eight threes a game. Providence is taking an average of 20.1 three pointers each game.

McDermott leads the team in rebound (8.2), assist (4.6) and blocked shot (1.1) averages.

SU has a 40-9 advantage in the all-time series with Providence and has captured the last two meetings.

Syracuse University Athletics

Teacher and Pupil Meet Again Sunday When SU Hosts Providence

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