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Syracuse University
Cincinnati
Orange Returns Home to Face Bearcats
1/14/2011 1:46:46 PM | Men's Basketball
| GAME #18 | ||
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vs. |  |
| Game Info | Saturday, Jan. 15 | 12 p.m. | Game Notes | |
| Location | Carrier Dome | Tickets | |
| Game Day | ||
| TV/Radio | BIG EAST Network | TK99 | espn3.com | |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 4/4 Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome for the first time in two weeks when it hosts No. 25/-- Cincinnati on Saturday, January 15. Game time is set for noon. The Orange is off to the second-best start in school history with a 17-0 record, including a 4-0 mark in BIG EAST play. The Bearcats enter Saturday's game with a 15-1 overall record, 3-1 in the BIG EAST.
Tickets for Saturday's game are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. Fans not in attendance can watch the game live on the BIG EAST Network or listen to the action via the Syracuse Radio Network and its flagship TK99 (99.5 FM). The audio stream of the broadcast will be available on Orange All Access on SUathletics.com. Subscriptions to Orange All Access are available at daily, monthly and yearly rates.
THEN THERE WERE FOUR
Only four Division I teams remain unbeaten this season. Syracuse is joined in the elite group by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Kansas and No. 6 San Diego State.
The Orange improved its record to 17-0 with a 76-59 victory at St. John's, giving SU its second-best start in program history. A win on Saturday against Cincinnati would put Syracuse one win away from equaling the program's best start of 19-0 in 1999-2000.
1800 AND COUNTING
Syracuse's win at St. John's was the 1,800th in the history of the program since it began in 1900-01. Since that time, SU has an all-time record of 1,800-811 (.689).
The Orange is the fifth program in the nation to record 1,800 victories. Kentucky is the winningest men's college basketball program with 2,036 all-time wins. Kansas is second (2,019), followed by North Carolina (2,016), and Duke (1,927).
JACKSON JOINS ELITE GROUP
Senior Rick Jackson became the 54th member of the Orange to score 1,000 career points in Syracuse's victory at St. John's. With 12 points against the Red Storm, Jackson now has 1,009 points in 125 career games.
Jackson also pulled down 10 rebounds against St. John's for his 10th double-double of the season and 17th of his career. He ranks fourth in the nation and first in the BIG EAST in rebounding, averaging 11.8 per game. Jackson also leads the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (.575) and defensive rebounds (8.1). In addition, he ranks second in offensive rebounds (3.7) and fourth in blocked shots (2.2).
JARDINE RANKS AMONG NATION'S TOP POINT GUARDS
Junior Scoop Jardine has been named as one of 20 finalists for the 2011 Bob Cousy Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced earlier this week. The annual award is given to college basketball's top point guard.
Jardine ranks second in the BIG EAST and is tied for 16th in the nation in assists, averaging 6.0 per game. In addition, Jardine is averaging 13.8 points per game, which ranks second on the team.
TRICHE PROVIDES SECOND-HALF SPARK
Sophomore Brandon Triche has saved his best for last in the Orange's past two games. He scored all 15 of his points in the second half at Seton Hall, helping Syracuse pull away from the Pirates and record a 15-point victory. At St. John's, Triche accounted for eight of SU's first 10 points in another 15-point win for Syracuse.
Triche has increased his offensive output during the last five games, averaging 12.6 points and reaching double figures in scoring of four of those contests.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ORANGE
Syracuse overcame an early deficit to defeat St. John's, 76-59, on Wednesday, January 12 in Madison Square Garden. Four players reached double figures in scoring for the Orange, including junior Kris Joseph, who led the way with 18.
The Red Storm used an 11-2 scoring run to take a 15-7 lead with 9:02 left in the first half, but Syracuse came back and ended the opening stanza on a 10-0 run of its own to take a 35-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Sophomore Brandon Triche had eight of Syracuse's first 10 points of the second half to give SU a 43-31 lead at the 15:40 mark. The Orange continued to build on its lead and went on to the 15-point victory.
Senior Rick Jackson scored 12 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Triche finished with 15 points, while junior Scoop Jardine added 14.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati is coming off its first loss of the season on Sunday against Villanova. The Bearcats became the eighth team from the BIG EAST Conference to jump into the national polls two weeks ago, coming in at No. 25 in this week's rankings. Cincinnati bounced back from its first setback with a 74-66 win against South Florida on Wednesday.
The Bearcats have three players averaging in double digits, led by Dion Dixon's 12.5 points per game. Big man Yancy Gates is averaging 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Sean Kilpatrick is averaging an even 10.0 points per game. Gates is Cincinnati's leading shot blocker with 26 on the year and Larry Davis is shooting .488 percent (21-43) from behind the arc.
Head coach Mick Cronin is in his fourth year at the helm of the Bearcats' program. During Cronin's four years at Cincinnati, the team has shown improvement each step of the way, posting more victories each season (11 in 2006-07, 13 in 2007-08, 18 in 2008-09, and 19 in 2009-10). The Bearcats are off to their best start under Cronin with a 16-1 overall record and 3-1 in the BIG EAST.
THE SERIES
Saturday's noon tip-off will be only the seventh all-time meeting between two of college basketball's great programs. The Orange leads the series, 5-2, with a 71-54 victory coming last season. Andy Rautins led the way with 20 points, including 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range, while Kris Joseph came off the bench and chipped in 17.
The last time Cincinnati beat the Orange was during the 2007-08 campaign when the Bearcats claimed a 74-66 victory on its home court.
UP NEXT…
The Orange will have just one day to prepare to face No. 5/5 Pittsburgh on Monday, January 17 in the Peterson Events Center. The contest will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
