SU Rings In The New Year Versus Pitt

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The #5/5 Orange (13-0, 1-0) begins the 2010 calendar year with its BIG EAST home opener on Saturday, Jan. 2. Syracuse looks to improve to 14-0 on the season when its hosts Pitt (11-2, 1-0) at 12 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The matchup is the first act of a split doubleheader that also features the unbeaten SU women's basketball team (12-0). The No. 23 Orange women take on Georgetown (11-2) in the Dome at 5 p.m. in their BIG EAST opener.

Syracuse is only Division I school to boast undefeated men's and women's basketball squads. Fans can catch both games for the price of one Saturday. Fans that show their ticket stub from men's game get in FREE to the women's game.

Tickets for Saturday's men's game versus Pitt are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. The matchup will be televised live on the BIG EAST Network. Fans can also listen to the action live 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.

The game is shaping up to be a classic case of an unstoppable force against an immovable object. Syracuse enters the clash ranked first in the BIG EAST scoring offense (87.7 ppg), while the Panthers lead the league in scoring defense (55.9 ppg).

ABOUT THE ORANGE

The Orange maintained its unblemished record with a hard-fought 80-73 victory at Seton Hall in its BIG EAST opener Tuesday. Syracuse overcame 38 points by the Pirates' Jeremy Hazell, 20 turnovers, and the largest deficit it faced all season (12 points) to earn the triumph.

Forwards Wes Johnson and Kris Joseph keyed the victory. The duo combined for 21 straight Syracuse points in the second half, including all 15 in a 15-0 run that gave the visitors a lead it never relinquished. Johnson paced the Orange with 20 points and a career-best 19 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. Joseph finished with 16 points, one short of his career high. Fifteen of his points came in the second half.

Johnson vaulted up the BIG EAST rebounding leaderboard with his performance. He increased his season average to 9.0 per game, the fifth-best mark in the league. He is averaging 11.8 rebounds per outing over the Orange's last five games and has three straight double-doubles.

SUPER STARTS

Syracuse is 13-0 for the seventh time under current head coach Jim Boeheim. Of the six previous 13-0 starts, the Orange has gotten to 14-0 just three times (1999-2000, 1986-87, 1979-80). Should the Orange knock off the Panthers Saturday, it would mark the fourth time the team has begun the year with 14 straight victories.

ONUAKU REBOUNDS FROM INJURY

Senior Arinze Onuaku did not start and only played five minutes against Oakland on Dec. 22 because of a thigh bruise, but he form in the Orange's BIG EAST opener at Seton Hall Tuesday. The Lanham, Md. native scored Syracuse's first six points and finished with 12 in the contest. Onuaku has 1,030 points in his career, one shy of tying Leo Rautins (1,031 points) on the school's all-time scoring list.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

Pitt has a new look this year after going 31-5 last season and advancing to the Elite Eight. Gone are 2008-09 starters Sam Young, Levance Fields, DeJuan Blair and Tyrell Biggs. The only member of last season's starting five still in the fold is senior Jermaine Dixon (7.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg) who has been limited to just five appearances while nursing a foot injury. Pitt has also been without the services of junior Gilbert Brown who missed the first 11 games due to academic suspension. He returned against Ohio on Dec. 22 and is averaging 8.5 points per game over the last two outings.

Despite being short-handed, the Panthers are off to an 11-2 start and have won their last four games, including a 65-52 home victory against DePaul in their BIG EAST opener on Dec. 28.

As has been the case since Jamie Dixon took over as head coach, Pitt's success has revolved around its defense. This year is no different. The Panthers lead the BIG EAST in scoring defense, allowing 55.9 points per game. They list third in the conference in field-goal percentage defense (.368) and lead the league in 3-point percentage defense (.281).

Offensively, sophomore Ashton Gibbs (16.9 ppg) has replaced Young as the team's primary scoring threat. Junior Brad Wanamaker (12.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) is also in double figures for the Panthers. Redshirt freshman Travon Woodall has stepped in for Fields as team's main playmaker. He leads Pitt with 66 assists and has contributed 6.8 points per game. Junior center Gary McGhee is Pitt's best rebounder (7.0 rpg).

Dixon is one of college basketball's most successful young coaches. He is 174-47 since taking over the Panthers in 2003-04. His 163 wins in his first six full seasons is an NCAA Division I record. Dixon was named the 2008-09 Naismith Coach of the Year after last season and he has guided the Panthers to six consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including three appearances in the Sweet 16.

THE SERIES

The Orange is 61-36 all-time against Pitt, including a 34-13 advantage in games contested in Syracuse. The Panthers have gotten the better of Syracuse recently, winning six of the last seven pairings, including a 78-60 decision at the Petersen Events Center last season. SU's lone win in that stretch was a big one. The Orangedefeated the Panthers, 65-61, at Madison Square Garden in the 2006 BIG EAST Tournament title game to win the conference championship.

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