Syracuse Celebrates Owens’ Career with 87-72 Triumph Against No. 21/20 Marquette

Saturday, March 8

Carrier Dome

4:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Marquette

Former Syracuse great Billy Owens saw his No. 30 jersey raised to rafters at halftime on Saturday.

Syracuse Celebrates Owens’ Career with 87-72 Triumph Against No. 21/20 Marquette

3/8/2008 6:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse Player Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The freshmen duo of Jonny Flynn and Donte' Greene sparked Syracuse (19-12, 9-9) to a critical 87-72 victory against No. 21/20 Marquette (22-8, 11-7) on Saturday in front of 23,444 fans at the Carrier Dome. At halftime, the Orange celebrated the prolific career of former SU great Billy Owens, raising his No. 30 jersey to the rafters.

With the win, Syracuse Hall of Fame sideline general Jim Boeheim becomes the first head coach in BIG EAST history to 300 regular-season victories.

Entering Saturday's contest ranked second among first-year scoring combos with 33.1 points per game, Greene and Flynn did not disappoint in the Orange's regular season finale, combining for 42 points. Greene tallied 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting overall and grabbed four rebounds. Flynn collected 21 points on 5-for-12 shooting, posted a game-high seven assists and recorded four rebounds.

Junior center Arinze Onuaku totaled 14 points, including 11 in the second half, on 5-for-7 shooting overall and tallied five rebounds. Sophomore guard Paul Harris registered 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting and corralled a team-high six rebounds.

Junior forward Kristof Ongenaet produced a spirited nine points, five boards and four assists.

The Orange scored 51 points in the second half on a blistering 69 percent scoring clip. Syracuse owned game-high leads of 16 points twice in the final 20 minutes following a friendly-roll three-point basket from Harris and a Flynn fast-break two-hand throw down.

Ongenaet brought the Carrier Dome faithful to its feet on back-to-back sequences in the second half. The Orange pushed its lead to six points, 46-40, after Flynn found Ongenaet on the opposite end of a lob from mid-court. On the Golden Eagles ensuing possession, Ongenaet's steal resulted in a coast-to-coast emphatic two-hand flush with contact over Marquette forward Lazar Hayward. The junior converted the old-fashion three-point play, extending the SU margin to nine points, 49-40.

Syracuse secured its first double-figure advantage of the first half following a triple from Greene at the 16:14 mark. The edge ballooned to 11, 59-48, after Flynn cashed in on a trifecta in transition with 12:15 remaining.

The Orange advantage extended to a comfortable 13 points twice in the final 10 minutes after freshman combo guard Scoop Jardine connected on a jumper and Onuaku drained a free throw. Onuaku enjoyed a stellar second half inside with his patented drop-step power-move on the block.

Syracuse owned a 36-31 margin at the intermission behind Greene's 13 points. SU closed the first half on a 7-3 run charged by six points from Greene. The 6-11 rookie deposited a lay-in along the baseline before fashioning a right-hand jump-hook in the lane. Harris' steal and lay-in in the final 30 seconds supplied Syracuse with a half-high seven-point advantage.

Ongenaet's lay-in at the 3:43 mark broke a 23-23 deadlock and supplied the hosts with a lead it would never relinquish. Minutes later, Flynn sunk two free throws and Greene drilled a mid-range jumper, handing SU a six-point edge.

Syracuse owned a slim 32-30 edge on the glass, but outscored the Golden Eagles 39-22 in the paint. Additionally, the Orange converted 18 Marquette turnovers into 22 points.

Junior guard Jerel McNeal powered the Marquette offense with a game-high 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Junior forward Wesley Matthews collected 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting.

Owens' jersey joins elite company above the Loud House hardwood. He joins Dave Bing (22), Derrick Coleman (44), Sherman Douglas (20), Vic Hanson (8), Rony Seikaly (4), Wilmeth Sidat-Singh (19) and Dwayne "Pearl" Washington (31) in the rafters.

In addition to the Owens' tribute, senior forward Ryan Cahak was honored prior to game's opening tip.

The Orange takes flight for the Big Apple and the BIG EAST Tournament beginning Wednesday, March 12 at Madison Square Garden. Syracuse's seed and first-round game remains in question as the conference's regular season will conclude on Sunday.