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That was a great game--loved it!!
Syracuse, N.Y-The #15/14 Syracuse Orange (7-1) erased a 23-point deficit, but suffered its first loss of the season to the #17/22 Wichita State Shockers (6-0), 64-61, in the Carrier Dome. The Orange, who was facing a nationally ranked opponent for the first time this year, trailed by double-digits for nearly 30 minutes in the game, but used a late second half run to tie the game under the two-minute mark. Wichita State hit three free throws down the stretch to secure it third-straight victory against a 2006 NCAA Tournament team and its first ever against Syracuse.
Forward Terrence Roberts recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Paul Harris added 14 points, all in the second-half. Center Darryl Watkins had a game-high 13 rebounds, one shy of his career-best mark. Syracuse as a team had 47 rebounds, including a season-best 19 offensive boards.
The game started out with offensive flurries from both teams. Back-to-back layups by Watkins and Roberts put the Orange up by two early on. Wichita State forward Kyle Wilson hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc to give the Shockers a one-point edge, but guard Eric Devendorf hit a layup and a triple on consecutive trips down the court to put the Orange on top, 9-5. Wichita State then went on a 19-3 run over the next 5:36, connecting on three three-pointers, and led, 24-12, with 11 minutes left in the half. The Orange went more than eight minutes without a field goal and turned the ball over six times.
Wichita State continued to build its lead as forward Phillip Thomasson made a layup down low and Wilson made a three from nearly the same spot as earlier in the game and with less than eight minutes left in the opening half, Wichita State led, 29-12. Wichita State guard Sean Ogirri made back-to-back three pointers from the right side and the lead eclipsed 20 points for the first time in the game, 35-12.
A triple by forward Demetris Nichols at 5:35 snapped an 11 minute scoreless streak for Syracuse and started a 13-4 run to close out the half. Nichols, who was scoreless up to that point, made another three during that stretch and Roberts added the other seven points as Syracuse cut the deficit down to 38-25 at intermission. Roberts also had seven rebounds in the first half, four coming on the offensive end. Wichita State made seven three-pointers and outscored Syracuse 30-3 over an 11-minute span.
Wichita State came out in the second half with the same style it played the first with guard Matt Braeuer hitting a three from the right side. Ogirri made his third three of the game to extend the lead back to 20 points, but Harris answered with the first three of his career. Guard Josh Wright got into the action with a three of his own and the Shockers’ lead was down to 47-33 with 16 minutes remaining.
The Shockers maintained at least a 14-point edge for the next five minutes. Harris made a layup in traffic at 13:03, but Thomasson tipped in a basket off a missed three-pointer. Ogirri had another five-point spurt with a jumper in the lane and a three-pointer and the Shockers led, 59-40, at the 9:22 mark.
Harris and fellow Syracuse freshman Mike Jones energized the Dome crowd with two emphatic fastbreak dunks and started a 19-2 run that brought the Orange back into the game. Wright made a pair of free throws, then grabbed a rebound off a blocked shot by Watkins and hit a three on the fastbreak to pull the Orange within 10 points, 61-51. Nichols then came up with a steal and found Roberts underneath for a dunk and the Wichita State lead was down to single-digits for the first time since the 12:09 mark of the first half.
Three free throws by Roberts, a three-point play by Harris and a layup by Watkins completed the comeback and the game was tied, 61-61, with less than two minutes left. Wichita State made a free throw to regain the lead. Nichols intercepted a pass at midcourt, but missed a fastbreak layup that would have put the Orange on top. Wilson made two free throws and the Shockers went up by three points with 13 seconds to go in the game. After a timeout, Syracuse brought the ball down the court for one last shot, but Devendorf’s three-point attempt was blocked by forward Ryan Martin with less than a second on the clock. Syracuse was unable to get another shot off before the buzzer.
Syracuse, N.Y-The #15/14 Syracuse Orange (7-1) erased a 23-point deficit, but suffered its first loss of the season to the #17/22 Wichita State Shockers (6-0), 64-61, in the Carrier Dome. The Orange, who was facing a nationally ranked opponent for the first time this year, trailed by double-digits for nearly 30 minutes in the game, but used a late second half run to tie the game under the two-minute mark. Wichita State hit three free throws down the stretch to secure it third-straight victory against a 2006 NCAA Tournament team and its first ever against Syracuse.
Forward Terrence Roberts recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Paul Harris added 14 points, all in the second-half. Center Darryl Watkins had a game-high 13 rebounds, one shy of his career-best mark. Syracuse as a team had 47 rebounds, including a season-best 19 offensive boards.
The game started out with offensive flurries from both teams. Back-to-back layups by Watkins and Roberts put the Orange up by two early on. Wichita State forward Kyle Wilson hit a three-pointer from the top of the arc to give the Shockers a one-point edge, but guard Eric Devendorf hit a layup and a triple on consecutive trips down the court to put the Orange on top, 9-5. Wichita State then went on a 19-3 run over the next 5:36, connecting on three three-pointers, and led, 24-12, with 11 minutes left in the half. The Orange went more than eight minutes without a field goal and turned the ball over six times.
Wichita State continued to build its lead as forward Phillip Thomasson made a layup down low and Wilson made a three from nearly the same spot as earlier in the game and with less than eight minutes left in the opening half, Wichita State led, 29-12. Wichita State guard Sean Ogirri made back-to-back three pointers from the right side and the lead eclipsed 20 points for the first time in the game, 35-12.
A triple by forward Demetris Nichols at 5:35 snapped an 11 minute scoreless streak for Syracuse and started a 13-4 run to close out the half. Nichols, who was scoreless up to that point, made another three during that stretch and Roberts added the other seven points as Syracuse cut the deficit down to 38-25 at intermission. Roberts also had seven rebounds in the first half, four coming on the offensive end. Wichita State made seven three-pointers and outscored Syracuse 30-3 over an 11-minute span.
Wichita State came out in the second half with the same style it played the first with guard Matt Braeuer hitting a three from the right side. Ogirri made his third three of the game to extend the lead back to 20 points, but Harris answered with the first three of his career. Guard Josh Wright got into the action with a three of his own and the Shockers’ lead was down to 47-33 with 16 minutes remaining.
The Shockers maintained at least a 14-point edge for the next five minutes. Harris made a layup in traffic at 13:03, but Thomasson tipped in a basket off a missed three-pointer. Ogirri had another five-point spurt with a jumper in the lane and a three-pointer and the Shockers led, 59-40, at the 9:22 mark.
Harris and fellow Syracuse freshman Mike Jones energized the Dome crowd with two emphatic fastbreak dunks and started a 19-2 run that brought the Orange back into the game. Wright made a pair of free throws, then grabbed a rebound off a blocked shot by Watkins and hit a three on the fastbreak to pull the Orange within 10 points, 61-51. Nichols then came up with a steal and found Roberts underneath for a dunk and the Wichita State lead was down to single-digits for the first time since the 12:09 mark of the first half.
Three free throws by Roberts, a three-point play by Harris and a layup by Watkins completed the comeback and the game was tied, 61-61, with less than two minutes left. Wichita State made a free throw to regain the lead. Nichols intercepted a pass at midcourt, but missed a fastbreak layup that would have put the Orange on top. Wilson made two free throws and the Shockers went up by three points with 13 seconds to go in the game. After a timeout, Syracuse brought the ball down the court for one last shot, but Devendorf’s three-point attempt was blocked by forward Ryan Martin with less than a second on the clock. Syracuse was unable to get another shot off before the buzzer.
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