Arinze Onuaku had 14 points and 14 rebounds versus Maryland in the second round of the NIT.
Syracuse-UMass Set for Round Two
3/24/2008 12:41:26 PM | Men's Basketball
A berth in the NIT Final Four will be on the line Tuesday when the top-seeded Orange (21-13) host second-seeded Massachusetts (23-10) at the Carrier Dome in the quarterfinals of the NIT. The winner will advance to the NIT semifinals on April 1 to meet either Arizona State or Florida at Madison Square Garden.
Tuesday’s game is a rematch of one of the most exciting contests of the year as the Orange and Minutemen combined for 207 points in a 107-100 Massachusetts win on Nov. 28.
Tickets are on-sale to the general public via SUathletics.com (click here) or the Carrier Dome Box Office. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for youth 12-and-under and SU faculty and staff.
Fans can also watch the game live on ESPN. In addition, Matt Park and Gene Waldron will have the call on the Syracuse ISP Network’s flagship (TK-99.5 FM) with the pre-game show beginning 90 minutes before tipoff. The radio network broadcast is available live on Orange All-Access.
The following parking detail is provided to assist fans on game night:
- SU Basketball season ticket holders who purchased a 2007-08 season parking pass can use that pass for free parking in the Stadium west or campus lots.
- People who do not have a season parking pass should park at Manley Field House and ride the free shuttle buses to the Dome. Manley can be best accessed from Interstate 81 via exit 17 (Brighton Ave) to State St., then right onto Colvin St.
- There will be for pay parking available in Booth and University Ave garages for $20 per car and in all other surface lots for $10 per car.
- The Ontrack train will not be running and there will NOT be a shuttle from downtown to the Dome.
- The parking lots and shuttle service will open at 5:30 pm, please arrive early to get to the Dome.
Fans should call the Carrier Dome Box Office (315-443-2121) with parking and ticket questions.
Previewing the Game
The Orange advanced to the quarterfinals on the strength of an 88-72 win against Maryland on March 20 in the tournament’s second round. Syracuse had four players in double figures, led by Jonny Flynn’s (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) 23 points, and it outscored the Terps, 48-34, in the second half to march on. Flynn was 8-for-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc.
The Orange advanced to the quarterfinals on the strength of an 88-72 win against Maryland on March 20 in the tournament’s second round. Syracuse had four players in double figures, led by Jonny Flynn’s (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) 23 points, and it outscored the Terps, 48-34, in the second half to march on. Flynn was 8-for-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc.
SU also got strong inside play from center Arinze Onuaku (Lanham, Md.) who recorded his 10th double-double of the year with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Massachusetts advanced with a 68-63 come-from-behind win against Akron on Saturday at the Mullins Center. Ricky Harris scored 20 points as the Minutemen rallied from 12 points down with eight minutes to go.
Back in November, Syracuse and UMass combined for 21 3-point field goals in the high-scoring first matchup. The Minutemen hit 14 treys, one off the Dome record for an opponent, and their 107 points was most ever for an Orange foe in the Loud House. SU finished with seven triples, four of which came from freshman forward Donte’ Greene (Baltimore, Md.).
All five Syracuse starters reached double figures and four scored at least 20 points led by Eric Devendorf’s (Bay City, Mich.) 23.
Ricky Harris of UMass was the game’s high scorer. He finished with 25.
The Minutemen have won eight of their last nine games. Their only loss in that stretch was a 69-65 defeat at the hands of Charlotte in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. UMass is averaging 81.5 points per game, which is the second-best mark in the Atlantic 10.
UMass’ Gary Forbes, the 2008 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, is the league’s top scorer (19.8 ppg). He also leads the team in rebounding (7.7). Harris is second on the club at 17.9 points per outing. Junior guard Chris Lowe is the league's top assists man at 6.1 per game. Lowe registered a triple-double (14 pts, 14 rebs, 10 assts) against LaSalle.
Syracuse is 8-6 against the Minutemen all-time. The two schools have never met previously in the NIT.
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