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Syracuse University
University of Albany
Coach Boeheim Wins 800th Career Game
11/9/2009 9:05:20 PM | Men's Basketball
Box Score | Coach Boeheim Quotes | Player Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Head coach Jim Boeheim became the eighth Division I coach in NCAA history to record 800 career wins as Syracuse defeated Albany, 75-43, in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Boeheim joins Bob Knight, Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Phelan, Jim Calhoun and Eddie Sutton as part of the 800-club.
“I'd like to thank all the players and coaches who have been here over the year,” Boeheim said while addressing the crowd of 15,707 after the game. “A special thanks to the guy who has been sitting next to me for 800 wins, Bernie Fine. I'd like to thank the fans who have been here and who make this place the best place in the country to play basketball. I guarantee you one thing, we have a little bit of work ahead of us but we're going to give you everything we've got out here now and in the future.”
Senior center Arinze Onuaku led a balanced Orange attack that had eight different players scoring and five in double figures. Onuaku had a game-high 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting while grabbing four rebounds.
Junior forward Wes Johnson paired 12 points with a team-best eight rebounds while sophomore guard Scoop Jardine had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and dished out four assists. Sophomore forward Kris Joseph tallied 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting while grabbing five rebounds and junior forward Rick Jackson posted 10 points, going 4-of-4 from the floor while corralling five boards.
Freshman guard Brandon Triche matched eight points with five rebounds in his collegiate debut while dishing out five assists. Rookie forward DaShonte Riley also saw his first action with the Orange, going 2-for-2 with a pair of rebounds in a reserve role.
Syracuse matches its dominating offensive performance with lock-down defense, causing 32 Albany turnovers, including 20 miscues in the first half. The Orange also set a 2K Sports game record with 21 steals.
Johnson was the defensive leader for Syracuse with six steals while senior guard Andy Rautins had four steals and a game-high five assists.
Syracuse dominated Albany from tip-off, opening the game with four unanswered baskets, to take an 8-0 lead it would never relinquish. The Orange continued to pour it on, outscoring the Great Danes 13-3 through a four-minute stretch to build its edge to 22-10 with 9:20 remaining in the first half. SU continued to drive, closing out the half with an 18-point lead, 38-20.
The Orange continued to distance the Great Danes in the second half, taking a 31-point lead, its largest of the game, with 3:39 remaining before cruising to a 75-43 win.
Syracuse returns to the floor on Wednesday, November 11 as it hosts Robert Morris in the second game of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer with tip-off set for 7 p.m.
