Syracuse Preps For Second-Round Matchup With Gonzaga
3/20/2010 5:02:57 PM | Men's Basketball
Syracuse Press-Conference Quotes l Game Notes (.pdf)
BUFFALO, NY -- #4/4 Syracuse (29-4) spent Saturday preparing for its second-round NCAA Tournament matchup with #22/18 Gonzaga (27-6) scheduled for Sunday in Buffalo's HSBC Arena. The Orange, a number one seed in the West Region, and the eighth-seeded Bulldogs, are slated to tipoff at 12:10 p.m.
On Saturday both teams had media interviews at the arena and a closed practice session.
The two programs have not squared off before on the hardwood. Syracuse advanced to the second round by defeating Vermont on Friday, 79-56. All-American forward Wes Johnson led five SU scorers in double digits with 18 points. Gonzaga defeated Florida State, 67-60.
Syracuse is making its 33rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Orange have an overall record of 51-32 in NCAA Tournament play.
Coach Jim Boeheim has guided SU to 43 NCAA Tournament triumphs. He ranks eighth among Division I coaches in NCAA Tournament victories. Boeheim has 828 overall wins and ranks second among active coaches.
Boeheim's club has benefitted from a balanced scoring attack this season. In addition to Johnson (16.0 ppg.), four other players are averaging 10-or-more points per game. Senior guard Andy Rautins (11.7 ppg.), sophomore forward Kris Joseph (11.2 ppg.), senior center Arinze Onuaku (10.5 ppg.), and junior center Rick Jackson (10.1 ppg) round out the group.
The Orange will be without Onuaku for the second straight game. He suffered an injured right quadriceps in a BIG EAST Conference Tournament game with Georgetown and has not played since.
Gonzaga's Mark Few has guided the Bulldogs into the NCAA Tournament in each of his 11 years as head coach. This year his club won the West Coast Conference regular-season title and lost in the league's tournament championship game to St. Mary's.
Few is the winningest active Division I coach, based on winning percentage. He has a 291-72 mark, good for a .802 rate.
The Zags feature senior guard Matt Bouldin (15.8 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 4.0 apg.), the club's leading scorer. Others averaging double-digit point production include freshman forward Elias Harris (14.7 ppg), junior guard Steven Gray (13.7 ppg.) and sophomore center Robert Sacre (10.1 ppg., 5.3 rpg.).
