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Syracuse University
Oakland University
Triche Leads #5/5 SU Past Oakland, 92-60
12/22/2009 7:53:15 PM | Men's Basketball
Box Score | Coach Boeheim Quotes | Student-Athlete Quotes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Freshman guard Brandon Triche netted a career-high 27 points to lead #5/5 Syracuse (12-0) to a 92-60 victory against Oakland (6-7) in the Carrier Dome on Tuesday night. The 12-0 record marks the best season start from the Orange since 1999-2000 when it opened with 19 consecutive victories.
Triche led nine different players who scored for Syracuse, including four in double figures. The Jamesville native was 9-of-11 from the floor, a perfect 6-for-6 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 from the foul line.
Triche's 27 points was the most by an Orange student-athlete this season and the best by a Syracuse freshman since Jonny Flynn had 28 points against Pittsburgh in 2008. Triche's perfect performance from three-point range tied the best effort in program history. It was the program's first 1.000 3-point shooting percentage game (minimum five attempts) since Carmelo Anthony was 5-for-5 from behind the arc at Michigan State in 2003.
Junior forward Wes Johnson was a force for Syracuse, matching 19 points with 11 boards and tallying two assists, two blocked shots and a pair of steals. Junior forward Rick Jackson logged 14 points, five boards and a pair of blocked shots while redshirt freshman Mookie Jones rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points in a reserve role.
Senior guard Andy Rautins directed the Orange offense, dishing out a game-high nine assists while corralling a trio of rebounds. Sophomore forward Kris Joseph matched seven points with seven boards and dished out four assists while Triche also had four helpers.
The game marked the first time this season Syracuse opened with a different starting lineup as Joseph replaced Arinze Onuaku in the first five. Onuaku was slowed by a right quad strain and saw limited action.
The Golden Grizzlies netted the first basket of the game, but the Orange responded with 10 unanswered points to take a 10-2 lead it would never relinquish with 15:58 remaining in the first half.
Oakland pulled within three, 16-13, but Syracuse reasserted its edge with a 13-4 run to take a 29-17 lead with 8:07 left to play in the half. The Orange maintained its edge through the remainder of the half, heading into the locker room with a 43-28 advantage.
SU continued to drive in the second half, maintaining a consistent lead of at least 10 points. Ahead, 58-40, Syracuse broke the game open with 12 unanswered points to take a 70-40 lead with 11:13 left to play. Jackson and Triche each had five points in the run, while the SU defense held the Golden Grizzlies scoreless for three minutes in the stretch.
Syracuse took its largest lead of the game, 90-56, on a three by Jones with 2:55 left to play.
Syracuse opens BIG EAST play on the road following the holiday break. The Orange will visit Seton Hall on Tuesday, December 29 with tip time set for 9:00 p.m. on the BIG EAST Network.
