Syracuse University
St. John's
Triche Helps SU Quiet Red Storm, 79-73
3/10/2011 1:33:16 PM | Men's Basketball
Syracuse 79, St. John's 73 l Postgame Quotes
NEW YORK – Sophomore Brandon Triche's season high 22 points led 11/11 Syracuse (26-6) past 17/18 St. John's (21-11), 79-73, on Thursday in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden. Syracuse has defeated St. John's four out of the five times the two teams have met in the BIG EAST Tournament.
SU overcame a 37-32 halftime deficit with a 47-36 scoring advantage in the second half to advance to the BIG EAST semifinals on Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m. SU will face No. 9 seed Connecticut, who knocked off top-seeded Pittsburgh earlier today.
With 2:25 remaining in regulation, the game was knotted for the fifth time in the second half, 68-68. Freshman Fab Melo scored off a SU inbound play to give the Orange a two point lead at the two minute mark. Melo and junior Kris Joseph combined for Syracuse's next five points to increase SU's lead to five, 75-70, with 27 seconds on the clock.
Triche took the reins down the stretch, recording four free throws and a steal in the next 15 seconds to help SU match its largest lead of the game, 79-70, with 13 seconds left. St. John's last second three-pointer produced the final score of 79-73.
The two teams traded baskets for the first five minutes after senior Rick Jackson opened all scoring on SU's first possession. The Orange held a 7-5 lead at the 15:41 mark. Syracuse's freshmen provided a spark off the bench with Melo and Dion Waiters combining for five consecutive points to put 'Cuse up, 12-5, with 14:25 remaining in the first half. The rookies started a 9-0 run for SU, which was capped off by two points from Jackson.
St. John's fought back to cut SU's lead to three, 17-14, with 11:25 to play. A Dwight Hardy three-pointer for the Red Storm at the 8:55 mark tied the game at 20. St. John's took its first lead of the game, 22-20, with 7:47 to play in the opening period. By the 5:02 mark, the Red Storm had increased its lead to four, 26-22.
Syracuse's next five points came from the charity stripe and the Orange trailed by one, 28-27, with three minutes on the clock. A trifecta by Waiters knotted the game at 30 with 1:57 remaining. A three-point play by St. John's Malik Stith with 28 seconds remaining sent the Red Storm to the locker room with a 37-32 lead.
SU opened the second half with a 9-1 run compliments of five points from junior Scoop Jardine and the Orange regained its lead, 41-38, at the 17:30 mark. Syracuse made two quick easy layups to stay ahead, 45-41, with 15:53 remaining in the matchup. Triche exploded for five straight points to make it 50-45 Syracuse with 14:48 to play.
St. John's responded with six unanswered points to pull within one, 52-51, at the 12:11 mark. St. John's Paris Horne's three-point play gave the Red Strom a brief 58-57 lead, but Jardine stole the lead right back with a jumper on the ensuing play. SU held a 59-58 advantage with 8:22 to play.
Jackson was fouled on a monster dunk but could not complete the three-point play and SU led 66-63 with 5:20 remaining in regulation. The lead changed hands twice in the next two minutes, but another dunk by Jackson put the Orange up, 68-67, with 3:30 on the game clock.
Jackson finished with an impressive stat line that featured 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. Melo surpassed his career high set during SU's last regular-season matchup with DePaul, netting 12 points to go along with four rebounds.
Triche registered eight of his game and season high 22 points from the free throw line. He went 8-8 from the line and has now sunk a program record 37 consecutive free throws, dating back to Feb. 9 against Georgetown. The previous record was 34, set by Mike Lee.
Joseph and Jardine rounded out Syracuse's double-digit scorers with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
St. John's, led by head coach Steve Lavin, was paced by Hardy's 22 points.
