Syracuse University
University of Vermont
Orange Defeats Vermont in NCAA First Round
3/19/2010 11:29:03 PM | Men's Basketball
Syracuse 79, Vermont 56 l Syracuse Quotes | Photo Gallery
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Top seeded Syracuse (29-4) defeated 16th-seeded Vermont (25-10), 79-56, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. The Orange employed a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures for the ninth time this season.
Junior forward Wes Johnson paired a game-high 18 points with six rebounds and added three steals and a pair of blocked shots to lead the Orange. Redshirt sophomore guard Scoop Jardine added 14 points off the bench while junior forward Rick Jackson poured in 12 while corralling eight rebounds and notching a game-high four blocks.
Vermont's Maurice Joseph, older brother of SU sophomore forward Kris Joseph, opened the scoring with a three before Syracuse took control. The Orange assembled an 11-0 scoring tear, quieting the Catamounts for more than four minutes in the stretch. Senior guard Andy Rautins had five points in the run while Joseph netted three.
Ahead by 10, the Orange continued to set the pace, using a 22-5 scoring spurt to take a 35-10 lead with 6:39 remaining in the first half. Jardine propelled the run with 11 points while Johnson had eight.
The Catamounts began to make a comeback, outscoring Syracuse, 15-2 in the final six minutes of the half to shrink the lead, 37-25, at the half.
Syracuse rallied out of the break, putting on a three-point clinic in the first four minutes of the second half. Rautins and freshman guard Brandon Triche each notched a pair of threes while Jackson added a layup as the Orange outscored Vermont, 14-7.
The teams traded baskets throughout the second half, with Syracuse maintaining a consistent lead of at least 16 points. SU built its advantage to 20 on a pair of free throws by Johnson with 5:27 left on the clock and brought the crowd to its feet with a pair of Johnson ally oop plays which built the lead, 70-47.
Syracuse carried its 23 point buffer through the end of regulation, sealing the 79-56 victory.
SU's 29 wins ties for the fourth-best mark in school history.
Rautins finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and a team-high six assists while Triche had 10 points and a pair of assists. Joseph helped the Orange to a 34-27 advantage on the glass as one of three Syracuse players to grab eight rebounds. He also had six assists as part of 24 total helpers on 30 made field goals.
Syracuse shot 54.5 percent from the floor (30-55) while holding Vermont to a 34.8 shooting percentage (23-66). The Orange was also on point from long range, shooting 45.5 percent (10-22) while Vermont shot 22.7 percent (5-22) from behind the arc.
Marqus Blakely led the Catamounts with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals while Evan Fjeld was second on the team with 13 points and nine boards. Maurice Joseph finished with seven points, three rebounds and a pair of assists.
The Orange advances to the second round to face No. 8 Gonzaga on Sunday at 12:10 p.m. in the HSBC Arena.
