#2 Orange Hosts Bulls Wednesday

Syracuse vs. USF
Game Details	Wednesday, Feb. 22 \| Syracuse, N.Y. \| 7 p.m. Carrier Dome \| Tickets
Game Coverage	TV: BIG EAST Network/TWCS/SNY/ESPN3 \| Radio: WTKW 99.5 FM Orange All Access: Audio \| Live Stats Twitter: @Cuse
Syracuse Links	Notes \| News \| Roster \| Schedule
USF Links	Notes \| News \| Roster \| Schedule

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 2/2 Syracuse is in the homestretch of the regular season as just three games remain before the BIG EAST Tournament. The Orange (27-1, 14-1) tries to remain unbeaten at home when it hosts USF (17-10, 10-4) on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

The game will be televised on the BIG EAST Network, Time Warner Cable Sports, SNY and ESPN3. Tickets for Wednesday's game are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. Fans can also follow the action on the Syracuse IMG 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.

ORANGE TO WEAR NEW NIKE UNIFORMS
Syracuse is one of nine programs that have been selected by Nike to wear the new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniform this season. The Orange will wear the uniforms tonight when it hosts USF.

Each of the nine programs selected have won NCAA Championships in Nike apparel. In addition to Syracuse, the participating schools include Arizona, the Baylor women's team, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Connecticut (men's and women's) and North Carolina.

According to Nike, the "Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniform is designed at the intersection of sustainability and performance. Nike created the uniforms specifically for superior performance and lower environmental impact. The fabric of the Nike Hyper Elite Platinum shorts are made from 100 percent recycled polyester while the jersey fabric is made from at least 96% recycled polyester. Both short and jersey are tailored for the optimal efficiency of movement and are five percent lighter than the previous Nike Hyper Elite uniform. Featuring laser-cut bonded logos, a sharp platinum design as well as prominent accent colors, the Nike Hyper Elite Platinum uniforms are sure to shine on the court."

Nike will have a display in the backcourt during Wednesday's game where fans can get a close up of the uniforms.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ORANGE
Sophomore #C.J. Fair# scored a career-high 21 points to lead Syracuse to a 74-64 victory at Rutgers on Sunday, Feb. 19.

The first half featured back-and-forth action, which included seven ties and eight lead changes. The Orange ended the half on a 10-4 scoring run and Dion Waiters' free throws with two seconds left gave SU its largest lead of the half as it led 40-34 at intermission.

Syracuse held the lead for the entire second half, despite the Scarlet Knights getting within two points on five different occasions. With SU leading 66-62, Scoop Jardine hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to extend the Orange's lead to 69-62 with 1:12 remaining. Syracuse went 5-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to seal the 10-point victory.

Fair was 6-for-8 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. He also led the team with eight rebounds. Kris Joseph finished with 14 points, while Fab Melo added 10 points.

SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF arrives in Syracuse with a 17-10 overall record, including a 10-4 mark in BIG EAST play. The Bulls are riding a four-game winning streak, and have won eight out of their last 10 contests.

Augustus Gilchrist leads the offensive charge for USF, averaging 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. The Bulls' leading rebounder is Toarlyn Fitzpatrick (6.5), while the team is second in the BIG EAST in defensive rebounding. Ron Anderson Jr. averages 7.9 points per game, and is second in the conference in field goal percentage (58.0).

Stan Heath is in his fifth year at the helm at USF, posting a 68-87 record while in Tampa, Fla. He led the Bulls to an NIT berth in 2010. Heath previously held positions at Kent State, where he led the Golden Flashes to a 30-6 record and an Elite Eight appearance in 2002, and Arkansas. The Detroit native was a three-year letterwinner at Eastern Michigan.

SERIES HISTORY
Syracuse owns an 8-1 advantage in the series versus USF, with a perfect 5-0 mark at the Carrier Dome. The Orange last faced the Bulls in Tampa, Fla., during the 2011 season. Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters paced SU with double-digit scoring tallies.

The two squads first met in 1987, when Syracuse triumphed, 111-65. The lone USF victory in the series was by an 89-78 margin at the Sun Dome in 2008.

UP NEXT…
The Orange plays its final road game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Connecticut at 9 p.m.

Syracuse University Athletics

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