SU Concludes Non-League Slate

Tickets | Live audio | Live Stats | Game Notes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The #7/7 Orange (13-1) wraps up non-conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 6 when its hosts Memphis (10-3) in the Carrier Dome at 7 p.m. Syracuse won 12 consecutive non-conference games to start the season and is looking for its first perfect non-conference mark in the regular season since 1993-94.

Tickets for Wednesday's game against the Tigers are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. The matchup will be televised live nationally on ESPN2. Fans can also 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 ORANGE

Syracuse dropped two spots in both national polls this week after losing for the first time this season on Jan. 2 to Pittsburgh. The Panthers defeated the Orange, 82-72, to knock it from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Despite the loss, Syracuse still leads the BIG EAST and lists fourth nationally in scoring (86.6 ppg). The Orange also leads the nation in team field-goal percentage at 53.7 percent. The Orange has six players that average at least 9.0 points per game and four players averaging double figures. Junior forward Wes Johnson leads the way at 17.1 points per contest. Johnson had a team-best 19 points in the loss to Pittsburgh.

NON-CONFERENCE PERFECTION

Should the Orange defeat Memphis, Syracuse would post an unblemished non-conference mark of 13-0 for the regular season. The last time the Orange achieved such a feat was in 1993-94 when it went 8-0 in non-league action. That season Syracuse recorded wins against Tennessee, Cornell, Boston University, No. 20 Vanderbilt, Lafayette, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Colgate and No. 4 Kentucky.

JARDINE EMERGING AS AN OFFENSIVE THREAT

Redshirt sophomore Scoop Jardine has increased his offensive production the last two games. He's averaged 12.5 points per game against Seton Hall and Pittsburgh. His 15 points against the Panthers was his second-highest scoring output of the year. Jardine tallied a career-best 22 points in the win against California in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. For the season, Jardine is averaging 8.6 points an outing. He leads the Orange and ranks third in the BIG EAST in overall assists average (5.4).

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

The Tigers are led by first-year coach Josh Pastner, who took over when John Calipari left for Kentucky. Pastner is the third-youngest coach in Division I and he has guided the Tigers to a 10-3 record so far this season.

Duke transfer Elliot Williams leads the squad at 19.7 points per contest. Williams has been the team's leading scorer in 10 of Memphis' 13 games, including the first eight. He tallied a season-best 27 points in the Tigers' 20-point victory against IUPUI on Dec. 28.

Senior Doneal Mack (11.2 ppg), sophomore Wesley Witherspoon (10.5 ppg) and junior Roburt Sallie (10.4 ppg) are also in double figures for the Tigers. Junior Will Coleman is Memphis' top rebounder at 6.4 boards per contest.

The Tigers are the winningest program since 2005-06 with 147 victories since the start of that season. They are 73-1 in Conference USA action since joining the league that same year. In addition, Memphis comes to the Dome having won its last 35 games played during the month of January.

THE SERIES

The Orange holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series and has won the last two pairings, including a 72-65 win in Memphis a year ago. Wednesday's game marks the first time the Tigers will face the Orange in Syracuse. The two squads have played twice on neutral courts as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic with each side winning once.

Syracuse University Athletics

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