Orange Rally For Third Straight Win

Sophomore forward Paul Harris led four scorers for the Orange in double figures with a career-high 28 points as Syracuse captured its third-straight win, and second consecutive away from home, with an emphatic 87-73 victory against BIG EAST foe Villanova on Saturday at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Harris shot an efficient 9-for-12 from the field overall and a career-best 12-for-16 from the charity stripe. The Niagara Falls, N.Y., native grabbed seven rebounds and dished three assists in 39 minutes of action. Freshman point guard Jonny Flynn tallied 24 points on 7-for-11 shooting overall and a 7-for-9 clip from the free throw line. Flynn logged all 40 minutes of play in regulation for the fourth-straight outing. Freshman forward Donte’ Greene collected 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting, pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and totaled three steals. Junior forward Kristof Ongenaet, making his third start in as many outings, recorded a personal-best 12 points, posted three rebounds, handed out three assists and matched Greene with a team-high three steals. While the Orange leave the "City of Brotherly Love" with a win, the Wildcats played from the game’s opening tip like the outcome would be diffierent. Villanova raced out to a 28-18 advantage at the 10:05 mark behind a torrid 12-for-14 shooting display from the field. VU found success on the offensive end with dribble penetration and slashers along the baseline. Junior forward Dante’ Cunningham twice flushed home dunks and reached the foul line on a third occasion after the Orange defense collapsed in the lane. However, as quickly as Villanova stormed to a 10-point lead, Syracuse turned the tables and closed out the first half on a 28-11 run over the final 10 minutes and change, securing a 44-39 lead at the intermission. Flynn ignited the scoring spurt with a three-point basket at the 9:01 mark. Less than three minutes following, the Orange trimmed the VU advantage to just one point following a triple Greene and another from Flynn. Syracuse took its first lead of the game, 33-31, after Greene drilled his third three-ball of the half. The Syracuse lead grew to as much as eight points with four-and-a-half minutes remaining before the break after Harris sunk two free throws. The Wildcats sliced the Orange advantage to three before freshman center Rick Jackson corralled a loose ball and turned garbage into gold with a lay-in as time expired. The Orange twice extended its edge to nine points in the second half behind the stellar play from Flynn. The rookie court general’s dribble penetration found Ongenaet for a lay-in and foul at the 11:57 mark. Two minutes later, Flynn broke down his defender, took the ball to the rack, drew the body contact and connected on a circus shot with the harm. For the second consecutive game, Ongenaet claimed one of the game’s most critical baskets. With the Wildcats threatening a comback and trailing by six points with eight minutes remaining, the junior forward connected on just his second three-point basket of the season with the shot clock dwindling, handing the Orange a nine-point lead yet again. It was Ongenaet’s offensive rebound putback against DePaul on Wednesday that deflated a late Blue Demon rally. Down the stretch, Harris proved to be too much for the Wildcats. Following Ongenaet’s clutch trifecta, Harris deposited the next seven points for the Orange with a mix of free throws and workman-like baskets in the lane. Flynn converted an old-fashion three-point play after his floater with 1:41 remaining tickled nothing but the twine. The SU defense continued its marked improvement for the fourth-straight game. Wildcat guard Scottie Reynolds totaled 25 points and earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors after Villanova’s 81-71 victory at the Carrier Dome on January 19. However, the sophomore went scoreless until the 16:44 mark of the second frame. Reynolds tallied 12 points on just 4-for-10 shooting, including a paltry 2-for-7 showcase from beyond the arc. Saturday’s contest marked a homecoming for the Syracuse rookie tandem of Jackson and Scoop Jardine. Jackson and Jardine player their prep ball at South Philadelphia’s Neumann-Goretti High School. Jackson logged 17 minutes off the SU bench, while Jardine returned to the lineup and played three minutes after serving a two-game suspension. Syracuse (16-7, 6-4) returns to the Carrier Dome hardwood for a BIG EAST clash with rival Connecticut on Wednesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m.