SU-UConn Part of ESPN's "Rivalry Week"

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The #2/3 Orange (23-1, 10-1) returns to the Carrier Dome on Wednesday, Feb. 10 for a matchup against archrival Connecticut (14-9, 4-6). The clash is part of ESPN's “Rivalry Week” and it will tip off at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the game are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box office. In addition to live television coverage on ESPN, fans can 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.

The game would be just the second matchup of 800-win coaches in Division I history, however, Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun has missed the team's last six games on a medical leave of absence. The first meeting of 800-win coaches took place earlier this season when Calhoun and the Huskies faced Mike Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils in Madison Square Garden.

Calhoun (819) and Orange head coach #Jim Boeheim (822) have 1,641 victories between them, which would be the second-most combined wins for two opposing coaches behind Calhoun's and Krzyzewski's 1,647 combined victories when they squared off on Nov. 27. Boeheim is currently sixth on NCAA Division I career wins list. Calhoun is seventh.

Associate head coach George Blaney has served as the Huskies' head coach in Calhoun's absence.

ABOUT THE ORANGE

Syracuse climbed to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press media rankings and third in this week's ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. The Orange has won its last 10 in a row and is currently tied atop the BIG EAST standings with Villanova at 10-1 in the league.

The Orange emerged with a 71-54 victory at Cincinnati Sunday in its most recent outing. It was close most of the way before Syracuse went on a 28-5 run to close the game to keep its unbeaten road record (6-0 away; 3-0 neutral) intact.

Senior Andy Rautins paced the Orange with 20 points and sophomore forward Kris Joseph chipped in 17 off the bench. The duo picked up some of the scoring load usually carried by junior forward Wes Johnson, who played just 26 minutes and attempted three shots due to early foul trouble.

The Orange put on another impressive defensive performance against the Bearcats, limiting them to 54 points. For the season, the Orange owns a +17.9 scoring margin and has held its opponents to 64.1 points per contest. Syracuse is averaging 10.9 steals and 6.8 blocks per game.

RAUTINS FINDS RHYTHM

Rautins' 20-point outburst at Cincinnati was his fourth 20-point showing this season. He was 6-for-12 from the floor in the game, including four 3-pointers. Rautins moved into second on the SU career list for 3-point field-goal attempts. He has taken 662 triples in his career.

JOSEPH NAMED TO BIG EAST HONOR ROLL

Joseph's 17 points at Cincinnati capped a week in which he averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in a pair of victories. Joseph had a career-best 23 points earlier in the week against Providence. For his efforts, Joseph was named to this week's BIG EAST Honor Roll. The Orange super sub is second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg).

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES

Connecticut is 3-3 in the six games since Calhoun announced he was taking a medical leave of absence. The Huskies have lost three of their lost four and stopped a three-game losing skid on Feb. 6 with a 64-57 home win against DePaul.

The Huskies have four players in double figures this season. Senior Jerome Dyson leads the way at 19.0 points a game, which ranks fourth overall in the BIG EAST. He is also second on the team with 105 assists.

In addition, senior Stanley Robinson is at 16.2 points per contest and ranks second on the club in rebounding (7.6 rpg). Sophomore Kemba Walker is averaging 13.3 points per game. Walker is one of the best distributors in the nation and currently leads the BIG EAST in assists per game (5.9).

Dyson, Robinson and Walker have started all 23 games this year as has Alex Oriakhi, who leads Connecticut in rebounding at 7.7 boards per game.

THE SERIES

SU has a 49-35 advantage in the overall series with Connecticut, including a 23-13 record in games played on its home floor.

The Orange has won four of the last seven meetings, including splitting a pair of contests last season. The Huskies defeated the Orange in the regular season a year ago, however, Syracuse posted a 127-117 epic win against Connecticut in the 2009 BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals. The game went to six overtimes and instantly went down in NCAA and BIG EAST lore as one of the greatest games ever played.

Syracuse University Athletics

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