Colleges

Bigger, quicker Orange stops USF

Syracuse dominates on the boards and fastbreak as the Bulls drop a Big East game.

By ANDREW ZIVIC, Special to the Times
Published January 6, 2008

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Syracuse's size and athleticism gave USF trouble all game long, and it was the deciding factor in the Bulls' first Big East loss of the season.

The Bulls allowed 25 second-chance points in an 89-77 loss Saturday. After Dominique Jones hit a 3-pointer to pull the Bulls within 26-25, the Orange went on an 8-0 run then kept USF (10-5, 1-1) at arm's length the rest of the game.

It was able to do so because of a size advantage down low that led to 31 fastbreak points on top of all the second-chance points.

"We really never faced a team that has that much size and athleticism this year," USF coach Stan Heath said. "We haven't seen anybody that has that imposing of a front line."

With Syracuse controlling the boards and most of the play underneath, guards Jones and Chris Howard led the way for USF. The freshman Jones played the entire 40 minutes in his first conference road game and scored 23.

"I thought he did a great job in the first half of really just keeping us in the game," Heath said. "He's certainly not playing like a freshman."

Howard had 19 points, 12 in the second half. Most came around the basket as he worked to find seams in Syracuse's zone.

The Orange (12-3, 2-0) also played a lot of man-to-man defense in the first half to switch things up It worked as it built a 14-point halftime lead.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was most impressed with the way 6-foot-9 Arinze Onuaku played when matched one-on-one against USF center Kentrell Gransberry.

"I think (Onuaku) did a good job. He kept (Gransberry) down and made him take shots over him," Boeheim said.

Gransberry had his eighth double double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds, but it was a tough go for the 6-9 senior against Syracuse's big frontline. He said it wasn't just Onuaku that made things tough on him.

"They did a great job of switching defenses," Gransberry said. "I wouldn't say it was one person, it was just me getting the ball and getting more touches to go against that 2-3 zone."

USF's defense had no answer for Syracuse. All five of the Orange's starters scored in double figures, and Syracuse shot 36-of-70 (51.4 percent) from the field.

The 6-11 Donte Greene and Paul Harris led Syracuse with 21 and 20 points, respectively. They both had a few thunderous dunks that brought the crowd of 18,860 to its feet.

Harris finished with 13 rebounds as well. Onuaku had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Syracuse 89

USF 77

[Last modified January 5, 2008, 23:00:30]