Orange Faces Butler In Sweet 16

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SALT LAKE CITY - No. 1 seed Syracuse (30-4) will square off against No. 5 seed Butler (31-4) in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament's West Regional on Thursday, March 25 at 7:07 p.m. (ET) at EnergySolutions Arena. The Orange looks to earn its 31st win of the year, which would tie the school record for the most wins in a season.

The Orange also reached the 31-win plateau in the 1986-87.

Thursday's game will be broadcast live on CBS and will also be available for free online through CBS Sports' MMOD (March Madness on Demand) Player by clicking here. Fans can also catch the action live via the Syracuse ISP Sports Network and its flagship radio station TK 99 (99.5 FM). SUathletics.com will stream the radio broadcast live on Orange All Access.

ORANGE IN THE SWEET 16

The 2010 season marks the 19th time in 33 trips to the NCAA Tournament that the Orange has reached the Sweet 16. The team advanced to the tournament's second weekend a year ago when the Orange defeated Stephen F. Austin and Arizona State in Miami before losing to Oklahoma in Memphis.

Overall, the Orange boasts a 52-32 record all-time in NCAA Tournament competition. Thursday's game marks the first time Syracuse will play an NCAA Tournament contest in Salt Lake City. The only other time the Orange visited the state of Utah for an NCAA game was in 1994 when it defeated Hawaii and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first two rounds at the Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.

HOW THE ORANGE GOT TO SALT LAKE CITY

Syracuse knocked off Vermont (79-56) and Gonzaga (87-65) last weekend in the tournament's first two rounds. Junior forward Wes Johnson paced the team, averaging 24.6 points per contest and grabbing 10.0 rebounds a game. Senior Andy Rautins chipped with 17.5 points and 5.0 assists per game in the two victories.

Against Vermont, Syracuse employed a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures for the ninth time this season. Syracuse shot 54.4 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) from behind the 3-point line against the Catamounts.

Two days later, Syracuse set a school NCAA record with 12 3-point baskets against the Bulldogs of Gonzaga. Johnson and Rautins combined for nine 3-pointers as the team shot 48 percent (12-25) from long range and 54.7 percent (29-53) from the floor. Johnson scored a career-best 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Orange. Rautins added 24 points, going 5-9 from behind the 3-point line. He also contributed four assists and four rebounds.

HOW BUTLER GOT TO SALT LAKE CITY

Butler beat 12th-seeded UTEP (77-59) and 13th-seeded Murray State (54-52) last Thursday and Saturday in San Jose to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs used stifling half-court defense and got a 3-point basket from sophomore Ronald Nored moments before time expired to hold off Murray State. Nored led the Bulldogs with 15 points and six assists against the Racers.

Butler enters the Sweet 16 on a 22-game winning streak, which is the longest in the nation, and ended the season ranked 12th in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today national polls.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS

Butler is making its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance and seventh trip in the past decade. This is the Bulldogs fourth consecutive NCAA invitation and their third time advancing to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs also made the regional semifinals in 2003 and 2007.

Coach Brad Stevens is in third season as the head coach at Butler. He has led the Bulldogs to an 86-14 mark, three Horizon League regular-season championships and three NCAA Tournament berths.

Sophomore Gordon Hayward leads the Bulldogs in scoring (15.2 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) and was named the 2009-10 Horizon League Player of the Year. Hayward was joined by junior Matt Howard (12.0 ppg) and sophomore Shelvin Mack (14.1 ppg) on the All-Horizon League First Team.

Butler also boasts the Horizon League co-Defensive Player of the Year in Nored. His efforts helped the Bulldogs to the league's top spot in scoring defense. Butler is surrendering just 59.8 points per game to its foes this year.

THE SERIES

Syracuse and Butler have only met once before. The Orange hosted the Bulldogs in the second round of the NIT on March 18, 2002 in the Carrier Dome. The Orange prevailed in overtime, 66-65.

UP NEXT

The winner of the Syracuse-Butler game will meet the winner of No. 2 seed Kansas State and No. 6 seed Xavier in the West Regional final on Saturday, March 27.

Syracuse University Athletics

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