Unbeaten Orange Returns To Action

Tickets | Live audio/video | Live Stats | Game Notes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The #5/5 Orange (10-0) looks to continue its winning ways on Saturday, Dec. 19 when it hosts an old rival - St. Bonaventure (6-3) at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The game marks the first meeting between the two schools since 2006 and is the second of three straight home non-conference games for the Orange before the start of BIG EAST play.

Tickets for Saturday's game are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. The matchup will be televised live in the Syracuse area on Time Warner Sports. Fans can also listen to the action live via the Syracuse ISP Radio Network and its flagship TK 99 (99.5 FM). The video and audio streams of the broadcast will be available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.

ABOUT THE ORANGE

The Oranges enters Saturday's game with its highest ranking of the season, coming in at No. 5 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls. Syracuse remained perfect on the season with a 75-51 victory against St. Francis (N.Y.) last Sunday. Syracuse dominated the Terriers down low, holding a 32-14 advantage in points in the paint. Senior Arinze Onuaku tallied 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting while junior forward Rick Jackson added 11 points and six rebounds in the victory. Jackson was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll following the St. Francis (N.Y.) win. In addition to his performance against the Terriers, Jackson tallied a career-high 21 points in the previous outing versus Florida to help the squad to a 2-0 week.

A DAZZLING DOUBLE-DOUBLE

The Orange men's team isn't the only basketball outfit on campus that is undefeated this season. The SU women's squad is also perfect and takes a 9-0 record into its next game (Dec. 22 vs. Delaware State). Syracuse is one of only two Division I schools to boast unbeaten men's and women's programs. Kentucky is the other. The Wildcat men are also in action Saturday versus Austin Peay and Kentucky's women's team will look to remain unbeaten against Louisville on Dec. 20.

SYRACUSE AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE

Coach Jim Boeheim's squad is well represented in the latest NCAA national statistics released on Monday. The Orange leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.552), assists average (23.1) and steals average (14.0). Syracuse is also third in scoring margin (+26.6), fourth in scoring offense (88.3), fifth in blocked shots average (8.0) and sixth in field-goal percentage defense (.357).

Several players are included in the latest individual national rankings. Onuaku is seventh in field-goal percentage (.671). Senior guard Andy Rautins is ninth in steals average (3.0) and redshirt sophomore guard Scoop Jardine ranks 10th in assists per game (6.2).

JARDINE MAKES MOST OF HIS MINUTES

In addition to ranking in the top 10 nationally in assists average, guard Scoop Jardine leads the BIG EAST in that category. It's an impressive feat considering Jardine is not a starter and is averaging just 21.3 minutes per game. A deeper look at the numbers reveals that Jardine is averaging 0.29 assists per minute, the highest mark for a player ranked in the NCAA's top 10 in assists per game.

Jardine's success is often an indicator of Syracuse's team success. This season the Orange is 7-0 when he hands out at least five assists and the team is 12-1 during his career when Jardine records at least five helpers.

JONES STEPPING UP

Redshirt freshman Mookie Jones has provided some offense off the bench recently. Jones is averaging 10.5 points a game in his last four appearances. He has reached double figures in each game during that stretch, including scoring a career-best 12 points versus Columbia and Maine. Jones has done it mostly from behind the 3-point line, hitting 13 of his last 23 attempts (.565) from long range.

SCOUTING THE BONNIES

St. Bonaventure enters Saturday's contest with a 6-3 record and is coming off a 79-47 victory over Savannah State a week ago. The Bonnies limited Savannah State to 35 percent shooting from the field and held them scoreless during one key six-minute stretch. St. Bonaventure sophomore Andrew Nicholson, the 2009 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, led all scorers with 18 points and six rebounds, while sophomore Malcolm Eleby scored 11 points and dished out seven assists. Senior Jonathan Hall (11 points) and freshman Demitrius Conger (10 points) also finished in double figures.

Nicholson is the Bonnies' leading scorer, averaging 15.3 points per game. He is also the squad's top rebounder (7.4 rpg). Hall (12.0 ppg) and senior Chris Matthews (11.9 ppg) are also averaging double figures in the scoring department.

Mark Schmidt is in his third season as the head coach at St. Bonaventure and he has compiled a 29-40 overall record. Before taking over as the leader of the Bonnies, Schmidt spent six seasons as the head coach at Robert Morris, posting an overall record of 82-90. Before coaching the Colonials, Schmidt spent time as an assistant coach at Xavier (1994-2001), Loyola (Md.) (1993-94), Penn State (1991-93) and St. Michael's (1989-91).

Schmidt played basketball for four seasons at Boston College and was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams.

THE SERIES

Saturday's game will be the 26^th meeting between the Orange and the Bonnies. Syracuse leads the series, 22-3, and is 14-0 in games played at the Carrier Dome. The last time the two teams met was on Dec. 30, 2006 when the Orange defeated the Bonnies, 82-70.

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