Orange Edged at BIG EAST foe No. 18/23 Louisville, 61-50

Monday, February 18

Freedom Hall

7:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Louisville

Junior center Arinze Onuaku totaled 16 points and posted eight rebounds against No. 18/23 Louisville on Monday.

Orange Edged at BIG EAST foe No. 18/23 Louisville, 61-50

2/18/2008 8:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior center Arinze Onuaku totaled a game-high 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting and tallied eight rebounds in the Orange's 61-50 loss against BIG EAST foe No. 18/23 Louisville (21-6, 11-3) on Monday at Freedom Hall. Syracuse (17-10, 7-7) clawed to within two points of upsetting its second ranked opponent in as many outings with 2:23 remaining, but the Cardinals staged a late 9-0 run to secure the victory.

Sophomore guard/forward Paul Harris, named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll earlier on Monday, tallied 13 points, posted three rebounds, collected three steals and dished two assists. Onuaku and Harris shot a combined 13-for-19 from the free throw line.

Freshman forward Donte' Greene recorded nine points and corralled a game-high 12 rebounds, including a career-best 11 on the defensive end. Freshman point guard Jonny Flynn collected eight points, all in the second half, and distributed a team-best three helpers. Flynn's consecutive minutes played streak, dating back to January 19 against Villanova, ended in the first half with 3:43 remaining.

The Orange offense scored a season-low 50 points and struggled throughout, shooting just 16-for-54 from the field overall and 2-for-19 from three-point range.

After Louisville raced to an 8-2 lead behind two three-point baskets, Syracuse answered with a 9-0 run sparked by Greene. Greene's lone triple of the game keyed four straight points from Onuaku. The Lanham, Md., native punctuated the scoring spurt with an emphatic two-hand dunk over Cardinals' center David Padgett. The Orange's cushion extended to five points following a running floater from freshman Scoop Jardine at the 9:58 mark.

While the Cardinals slapped a man-to-man full-court press on the Orange from the tip, it was the Syracuse defense in the first half that controlled the game's tempo. Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim's signature 2-3 zone coaxed the hosts into long offensive possessions, resulting in forced outside shot attempts. Louisville guard Edgar Sosa settled for a 24-foot three-point try before forward Terrence Williams misfired from 18 feet out. UofL, matching a season-low with 26 points at the break, shot just 10-for-36 from the floor overall, including 3-for-15 from three-point range in the first half.

However, the Cardinals scored 10 of the second half's first 13 points en route to a nine-point advantage at 38-29 with slightly less than 14 minutes remaining.

Syracuse responded with Flynn singlehandedly willing his troops back into the contest. The rookie floor leader blew by his defender, appeared to lose the ball, but was the beneficiary of a soft roll as SU cut the lead to seven, 38-31, at the 13:26 mark. On the Orange's ensuing possession, Flynn beat his defender off the bounce again and connected on a fall-away seven-footer while drawing harm. Less than two minutes following, he stroked a trifecta, trimming the UofL edge to just one possession.

Following Louisville's subsequent 9-1 answer, pushing the lead back to 10 points at 50-40, the Orange countered with Onuaku in the post. The 6-9 center spurred a 6-2 run with a thunderous two-hand flush on UofL forward Derrick Caracter. Onuaku's offensive board and putback with 2:23 remaining pulled SU within one possession at 52-50.

Yet, Syracuse would get no closer as the Cardinals closed the game on a 9-0 run in the final two minutes. The Orange shot 1-for-4 from the field and committed one turnover down the stretch. Louisville's effort on the glass proved back-breaking to SU. The Cardinals owned a 52-35 rebounding advantage

Williams and guard Andre McGee paced UofL with 12 points apiece.

For the second time this season, Boeheim found himself opposite a familiar face in Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. The Cardinals' sideline mentor served as an Orange assistant coach under Boeheim from 1976-78. Providence head coach Tim Welsh, an assistant to Boeheim from 1988-91, returned to the Carrier Dome on January 29.

Syracuse remains on the road against No. 21/21 Notre Dame on Sunday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. SU fans can catch the Orange and Fighting Irish on CBS.