The matchup was hyped as a battle for Empire State supremacy, as fourth-ranked Syracuse sought to prove once and for all that they were the face of New York college basketball, while St. John’s wanted to show the Orange and fans across the state that they have not left yet. Unfortunately for the Johnnies, their Big Apple wasn’t as juicy as the Orange.
St. John's Justin Burrell, center, protects the ball from Syracuse's Rick Jackson, right, and James Southerland during the first half. (Redstormsports.com)
Using their world-famous 2-3 zone defense and athleticism that has become a trademark under longtime coach Jim Boeheim, Syracuse (17-0, 4-0 in the Big East) shook off a lackluster start and exerted their muscle at a venue that usually doubles as a de facto home arena for the Orange; overpowering St. John’s (10-5, 3-2) down the stretch to prevail by the final of 76-59. Four Orange players scored in double figures, led by Kris Joseph (18 points, five rebounds, three assists) and Brandon Triche. (15 points and four assists) Scoop Jardine added 14 points and six assists while his high school teammate Rick Jackson added yet another double-double to his ledger with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Despite the win, the head coach was far from ecstatic.
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