
Harris’ 22 Points Guide Orange to 86-51 Victory
12/1/2008 9:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – #16/20 Syracuse (7-0) continued its six-game homestand Monday night with a 86-51 victory against Colgate (2-3). In the 161st meeting between the two teams, four Orange men recorded double-digit points in front of a crowd of 18,422.
Leading the Orange was junior forward Paul Harris, who posted 22 points and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Jonny Flynn was second on the team with 12 points and led with seven assists. Junior Arinze Onuaku and sophomore Rick Jackson each registered 10 points and Jackson grabbed a career-high 10 boards for his first collegiate double-double.
Syracuse jumped to an early 17-2 lead less than five minutes into the contest with Harris and Flynn accounting for 15 of that total. Flynn started the barrage by opening the game with a three and then quickly followed with a steal and a layup. Harris joined into the act with two layups and a free throw sandwiched around a dunk.
Colgate answered with a three-pointer from Willie Morse but the Orange set out on another run, this time a 20-2 stretch that featured six points from freshman Mookie Jones. Colgate's Mike Venezia managed two three-balls in the final six minutes of the half and the Orange entered the intermission with a 41-13 advantage.
SU held the guests to 13 points in the first 20 minutes, its best first-half defensive showing since limiting Princeton to 11 in a 1999 contest. Syracuse held Colgate to .172 shooting (5-for-29) and forced 15 first-half turnovers. At the break, SU had outscored the Raiders in the paint, 34-2 and in fast-break points by 16-2.
Colgate bounced back in the second half and had outscored the Orange 26-23 with seven minutes remaining in the contest. SU advanced its margin back up to 35 before the final bell.
Ten different players scored for the Orange and 13 players saw court time. Freshman walk-on Brandon Reese converted two free throws and graduate walk-on Jake Presutti finished the SU scoring with a three-pointer.
The Orange shot 50.8 percent (33-65) and held the Raiders to 30.6 percent (19-62). Syracuse outshot Colgate 54-14 in the paint and had 27 fast break points to the Raiders' seven.
Leading scorer for the Raiders was Mike Venezia with eight points and five rebounds. Joe Hoban totaled seven points, while Morse and Alex English had six apiece.
Syracuse is back in action Wednesday, December 3 for a 7 p.m. game against Cornell. Tickets can be purchased online at SUathletics.com, by phone at 1-800-DomeTix or in person at the Carrier Dome box office during regular business hours.