Syracuse University
North Carolina
Orange And Tar Heels Meet For 2K Sports Classic Title
11/20/2009 10:10:15 AM | Men's Basketball
Live audio | Game Notes (.pdf)
NEW YORK – Two of the winningest programs in college basketball history will meet to decide the championship in the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer as No. 24 Syracuse (3-0) takes on #6/4 North Carolina (4-0) Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in Madison Square Garden. The Orange enter Friday's title game with the fifth-most wins (1,756) in the history of Division I basketball. The Tar Heels are second on that prestigious list with 1,988 all-time victories.
Fans can watch the game live on ESPN2 or listen to the action via the Syracuse ISP Radio Network and its flagship TK 99 (99.5 FM). The audio stream of the radio broadcast will be available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All Access.
ABOUT THE 2K SPORTS CLASSIC
The four regional hosts: Syracuse, North Carolina, Ohio State and California, automatically advanced to the championship rounds at Madison Square Garden. The Orange knocked off Cal, 95-73, and North Carolina defeated Ohio State, 77-73, to advance to Friday's championship game. The Buckeyes and Golden Bears will square off in the consolation game at 5 p.m.
The tournament's other eight participants are playing in subregionals in Albany and Miami. The Albany Subregional features the Great Danes as well as Robert Morris, Detroit and Alcorn State. The Miami Subregional is made up of Florida International, James Madison, North Carolina Central and Murray State.
SHADES OF 2003 AS COACHING LEGENDS SQUARE OFF
Friday's 2K Sports Classic title tilt pits Orange head coach Jim Boeheim against North Carolina mentor Roy Williams. The last time the two coaching titans went head-to-head was in the 2003 NCAA Championship game with Boeheim's Orange emerging victorious against Williams' Kansas Jayhawks. The following year, Williams took over at North Carolina and he has since won two national championships, including 2009 NCAA crown.
Boeheim is eighth in NCAA history with 802 career wins and reached the 800-win plateau in the team's season-opening victory against Albany. Williams is approaching his own coaching milestone as he is two victories shy of his 600th career triumph. Williams is the active Division I leader in winning percentage at .813 (598-138).
ABOUT THE ORANGE
Syracuse ran away with a 95-73 win against Cal in Thursday's first 2K Sports Classic semifinal. The Orange had eight players finish with at least eight points and shot a blistering 57.1 percent (36-63) from the field as a team. Redshirt sophomore Scoop Jardine led the way with a personal-best 22 points. He also contributed six rebounds, six assists and four steals in 27 minutes.
Junior Wesley Johnson recorded his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also blocked a career-best six shots.
Jardine (13.3 ppg) and Johnson (14.7 ppg) are two of four Orange players averaging double figures. Jardine is also the team's leading assist man (6.3 apg) and Johnson leads the club in rebounding (7.3 rpg). Seniors Arinze Onuaku (13.3 ppg) and Andy Rautins (10.0 ppg) round out SU's double-digit point getters.
SYRACUSE AND SEASON-OPENING TOURNAMENTS
The 2009 season marks the sixth straight year the Orange has started the campaign as part of a season-opening tournament. Syracuse participated in the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in 2008-09; the NIT Season Tip-Off in 2007-08; the BCA Invitational in 2006-07; the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in 2005-06; and the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in 2004-05.
The Orange claimed three tournament titles during the stretch, winning the 2008 O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic with a 89-81 overtime win against Kansas; the 2004 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic against Memphis, 77-62, and the 2006 BCA Invitational at home against UTEP, 83-69.
THE ORANGE IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
The Orange's basketball association with Madison Square Garden dates back to Feb. 1, 1939 when Syracuse posted a 42-31 win versus Manhattan. The 2009-10 season marks the 33rd consecutive campaign that Syracuse has played at least one game in MSG. Under Boeheim, the Orange owns a 66-44 mark in games played at the World's Most Famous Arena.
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina lost four starters from its 2008-09 NCAA Championship team. The only remaining member of last season's starting five is Deon Thompson. The senior forward leads the Tar Heels in scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) this year. Classmate Marcus Ginyard is second on the club in scoring (11.8 ppg) and he has a team-best 11 blocks. Sophomores Ed Davis (10.5 ppg) and Tyler Zeller (10.5 ppg) are North Carolina's other two double-digit scorers.
The Tar Heels outlasted Ohio State, 77-73, in Thursday's second 2K Sports Classic semifinal at Madison Square Garden to advance to Friday's title game. The Buckeyes outscored North Carolina, 49-39, in the second half, but couldn't overcome an early Tar Heel offensive surge. Four starters scored in double figures for North Carolina with Thompson (15 points) leading the way. He also had a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Tar Heels enter Friday's championship game averaging 85.5 points per game and they have won their first four outings by an average of 19.5 points per contest.
THE SERIES
Syracuse and North Carolina have met six times and the Tar Heels hold a 4-2 advantage against the Orange. The last time the two teams played was on Nov. 21, 1987 and the Tar Heels defeated the Orange 96-93 in overtime. The series is tied at 2-2 when the teams have met at a neutral site, including a 79-75 by SU in the 1987 NCAA East Regional final to advance to the Final Four.
