Flynn Leads Orange to 86-66 Victory Against Oakland

Friday, November 21

Carrier Dome

7:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Oakland

Junior Arinze Onuaku tallied 14 points and five rebounds against the Grizzlies.

Flynn Leads Orange to 86-66 Victory Against Oakland

11/21/2008 9:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse Player Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse is off to a 3-0 start this year after posting an 86-66 victory against Oakland on Friday, Nov. 21 in front of a crowd of 18,932. Sophomore guard Jonny Flynn, one of five Orange performers to score in double-digits, led the Orange offense with 18 points.

Junior Arinze Onuaku was second on the team in scoring with 14 points. He went five-for-five from the field and made four free throws. Freshman Kris Joseph tallied a career-best 13 points and six rebounds. Juniors Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf recorded 11 and 10 points, respectively, and Devendorf had a game-high seven assists.

Syracuse sprinted to an early 5-0 advantage behind a layup by Harris and Devendorf's three-pointer. Oakland's Johnathon Jones finally put the Grizzlies on the board at 18:34.

Syracuse would control much of the first half thanks to a strong defensive effort, including three blocks from Jackson. Oakland was held to five points for over four minutes as Syracuse jumped out to a 17-point lead, 22-5.

With 7:06 left to go, the Orange increased its lead to 21 points, thanks to quick passes from Flynn to Onuaku and finally to Jackson for the dunk. From there, SU would maintain at least a 20-point lead for the remainder of the half. Two free throws by Onuaku would allow the Orange to increase its advantage to 22 points, SU's largest lead of the first frame,The teams headed to the locker room with Syracuse leading, 47-28.

The Orange defense held the Grizzlies to only 27.5 percent (11-40) shooting and only eight points in the paint during the first half. Syracuse also outrebounded Oakland, 27-16.

Harris opened the second half for the Orange much like the first with a layup to put the Orange up, 49-28. Syracuse increased its margin to a game-high 24 points after Harris grabbed a rebound and set Onuaku up for the layup, bringing the score to 56-32.

The Grizzlies were able to chip away the Syracuse lead, bringing the Grizzlies within 14 points. OU's Keith Benson scored all five of his points in the initial push that narrowed the gap to 58-44. Oakland was within 14 again, 60-46, with 11:54 left on the clock, but could not break that barrier.

The Orange shot 52.8 percent (28-53) and registered 48 boards. SU outscored OU, 40-26, in the paint and 31-26 off the bench. Harris and sophomore Rick Jackson led the Orange defense with nine boards apiece. Jackson's effort tied his career-best. Onuaku, Harris and Jackson each added three blocks.

OU was led by Jones, who had 16 points and four assists, Erik Kangas who added 15 points and Will Hudson who closed out the Grizzlies top scorers with 13 points. Syracuse held them to 34.7 percent (25-72) shooting and 27.3 percent (6-22) outside the arc.

It was the first-ever encounter between Syracuse and Oakland on the hardwood.

Syracuse is back in action at the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in Kansas City, Mo. next week. Up first for the Orange is Florida on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m., followed by either Kansas or Washington on Nov. 25.