Syracuse University
University of Louisville
Orange and Cards Meet in Battle of Top 20 Teams
2/11/2011 2:17:06 PM | Men's Basketball
| GAME #26 | ||
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vs. |  |
| Game Info | Wednesday, February 12 | 12 p.m. | Game Notes | |
| Location | Louisville, Ky. | KFC Yum! Center | |
| Game Day | ||
| TV/Radio |
ESPN | TK99 | espn3.com |
|
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – No. 12/13 Syracuse looks to get back to its winning ways when it takes on No. 16/15 Louisville on Saturday at noon in the KFC Yum! Center. Both the Orange (20-5, 7-5) and the Cardinals (18-6, 7-4) are coming off losses against ranked teams earlier this week.
Fans can watch the game live on ESPN or listen to the action via the Syracuse Sports Network and its flagship TK99 (99.5 FM). The audio stream of the radio broadcast will be available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All Access. Subscriptions to Orange All Access are available at daily, monthly and yearly rates.
SEEKING A REVERSAL OF FORTUNES
Syracuse is looking for its first win against Louisville since the 2005-06 campaign. The Cardinals have won the last six meetings between the two schools, including both contests last season. Louisville snapped Syracuse's 11-game winning streak with a 66-60 win in the Carrier Dome. The Cardinals closed out the regular season by defeating No. 1-ranked Syracuse, 78-68, in their final game in Freedom Hall.
849 AND COUNTING
Syracuse's win at USF was the 849th career victory for Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. With one more win, Boeheim will become just the fifth Division I coach to record 850 career victories. He will join an elite group that includes Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp.
Boeheim ranks second in wins among active Division I coaches, trailing only Coach K at Duke.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ORANGE
The Orange had its two-game winning streak snapped in a 64-56 setback against No. 11/11 Georgetown on Wednesday, February 9. Syracuse led with six minutes to play, but the Hoyas used a late 9-0 scoring run to claim its seventh straight victory.
Syracuse used a 15-4 scoring run to erase an early deficit and take a 25-21 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half. Freshman #C.J. Fair# scored four consecutive points during the run that gave SU its first lead of the game. The teams traded baskets before Georgetown's Hollis Thompson drained a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to tie the game, 29-29 with 15 seconds left on the clock. On the final possession of the first half, freshman Dion Waiters' jumper gave the Orange a 31-29 lead at intermission.
Sophomore Brandon Triche scored Syracuse's first four points of the second half to increase the Orange's advantage to 35-31. After the Hoyas fought back and took a 41-38 lead with 14 minutes to play, Fair scored four consecutive points to tie the game at 41-41 at the 11:46 mark. With the Orange ahead 55-49 with six minutes to play, Georgetown scored nine unanswered points to take the lead for good. The Hoyas went 3-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute to clinch the victory.
Junior Kris Joseph led Syracuse with 14 points, while Fair came off the bench and contributed 12 points. Triche finished with 11 points. Freshman Baye Moussa Keita tied his season high with five blocked shots.
SCOUTING LOUISVILLE
Louisville enters Saturday's game with an overall record of 18-6 and a 7-4 mark in BIG EAST play. The Cardinals lead the BIG EAST in steals (9.4 per game) and three-point field goals made (9.0 per game). In its last game, the team traveled to South Bend, Ind. to take on No. 8/7 Notre Dame. Junior Kyle Kuric led Louisville with a career-high 28 points in an 89-79 overtime loss to the Fighting Irish.
Senior Preston Knowles leads the Cardinals in scoring with an average of 14.8 points per game. Sophomore Peyton Siva is also in double figures in scoring with 10.6 points per game. Siva leads the BIG EAST in steals with an average of 2.1 per game. Junior Chris Smith is the Cardinals' third-leading scorer, averaging just less than 10 points per game. Smith's brother, J.R., currently plays on the Denver Nuggets with former Orange Carmelo Anthony.
Rick Pitino is in his 10th season as the head coach of Louisville, his 24th overall. He has an overall record of 590-225 (.724). Pitino served as an assistant coach at Syracuse from 1976-78 under Jim Boeheim.
THE SERIES
Louisville leads the all-time series against Syracuse, 12-4. Last season, the two teams met in the regular season finale in the final game at Louisville's Freedom Hall. Junior Scoop Jardine led SU with 20 points in a 78-68 loss. The Cardinals are currently on a six-game win streak against the Orange, which dates back to 2007. Syracuse's last win against Louisville was a 79-66 victory in the Carrier Dome on February 18, 2006.
