SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Having completed the non-league portion of its 2008-09 campaign with a 12-1 record and a national ranking, Syracuse turns its focus to 18 BIG EAST Conference contests. The Orange opens BIG EAST play by hosting the Seton Hall Pirates (9-3) in the Carrier Dome on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.
Tickets for Tuesday's game are available online, by phone through Ticketmaster in the Syracuse area at (315) 472-0700, or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. Fans not in attendance can watch the game live the BIG EAST Television Network (Time Warner 26 in Syracuse), or listen to the action via the Syracuse ISP Sports Network and its flagship station TK 99 (99.5 FM). The audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All Access.
The game is also available free to any student on campus (in fact, to any student on any U.S. college campus -- nearly 18 million people) on ESPN360.com
ABOUT THE ORANGE
The only blemish on Syracuse's 2008-09 record came on Dec. 15 against Cleveland State when Cedric Jackson heaved in a 70-footer to nip the Orange at the buzzer. Most recently, the Orange concluded its non-league slate with an 82-71 win against Coppin State on Dec. 22 to improve to 12-1 on the year.
Junior guard Andy Rautins (Jamesville, N.Y.) carried the Orange to victory against the Golden Eagles. He scored a career-best 29 points and tied the Syracuse game records for 3-point field goals made (9) and attempted (16). He also added a pair of free throws. Rautins' performance helped Syracuse gain control of what was a four-point game with less than nine minutes to go.
While Rautins heated it up from the outside, SU's big men combined to go 17-for-23 (.739) from the floor against Coppin State. Junior center Arinze Onuaku (Lanham, Md.) was 6-of-8 and finished with 12 points. He continues to lead the nation in field-goal percentage, hitting better than 74 percent (74.7 pct.) of his attempts. Classmate Paul Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) was also 6-for-8 from the field. He tallied 15 points and secured nine rebounds. Sophomore Rick Jackson (Philadelphia, Pa.) went 5-for-7 and scored 10 points. He also had six boards and two blocks. Jackson has emerged as a solid offensive option in the last three games. He's averaging 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds over that stretch.
Sophomore guard Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) recorded his first double-double of the year with 10 points and a season-best 10 assists in the win. Flynn is tied with Rutgers rookie Mike Rosario for sixth in the BIG EAST in scoring (17.5 ppg.) and Flynn ranks third in the league in assists per contest (5.3).
SYRACUSE IN CONFERENCE OPENERS
The Orange is 20-9 all-time in BIG EAST Conference starters, but has lost its last two. Villanova defeated Syracuse by 10 (81-71) to open league action last season. The previous year, Pitt defeated the Orange, 74-66. Syracuse's first-ever BIG EAST game was against Seton Hall on Jan. 5, 1980 and the Orange emerged with a 99-76 win. SU is 3-0 all-time against the Pirates in conference starting games.
SCOUTING SETON HALL
Seton Hall got off to an 8-1 start, a stretch that included a 63-61 triumph against nationally-ranked USC in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The club's only loss in the early run was to Memphis, 84-70. Seton Hall most recently rebounded from back-to-back losses to IUPUI and James Madison by trouncing Fairleigh Dickinson, 101-70, on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Jeremy Hazell (22.4 ppg.) has emerged as Seton Hall's top offensive threat. Hazell had 35 points in Saturday's victory against Fairleigh Dickinson and ranks second in the league in scoring. Junior forward Robert Mitchell (15.6 ppg., 8.2 rpg.) had 24 points and 10 boards in the contest. Junior guard Eugene Harvey (12.8 ppg.) gives the Pirates a third player averaging double-digit points, while senior John Garcia (9.6 ppg., 8.2 rpg.) has also had solid results despite missing three games with a left-knee injury. Senior guard Paul Gause (8.3 ppg., 2.8 apg.) joins Hazell and Harvey as the three Pirates who have started all 12 games this season. Garcia has started all nine games he's played.
THE SERIES
Syracuse leads the overall series with Seton Hall, 41-15. The Orange earned a road win last season, beating the Pirates 85-73. The Orange is 22-6 all-time against Seton Hall in games contested in Syracuse. The Orange won 18 consecutive home encounters versus the Pirates from Jan. 5, 1980 to Jan. 28, 1997.