January 31, 2004

Box Score

#20 Syracuse 76 - VT 64

 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The defending national champion Syracuse Orangemen rode the hot shooting of Gerry McNamara and took advantage of a slow start by the Virginia Tech Hokies in knocking off Tech 76-64 in a BIG EAST game played in front of 25,862 fans at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

The loss marked Tech's fifth straight, sending Tech to 8-10 overall on the season and 1-6 in the BIG EAST. Syracuse, which snapped a two-game losing streak, improved to 14-3, 4-2 in the league.

The Orangemen jumped out to a 9-0 lead and never trailed in the game. The Hokies made just two of their first 13 shots from the floor and committed six turnovers on their first 15 possessions. Tech also struggled on the defensive end as Syracuse made six of its first nine shots from the floor.

McNamara, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the first half, connecting on three 3-pointers in leading Syracuse to a 22-point first-half lead. The Orangemen ended up leading by 18 at the break.

In the second half, Tech tried to climb back in the game. The Hokies trailed by 20 after a basket by Syracuse's Josh Pace, but after that, they went on a 14-0 run and cut the lead to six, 51-45, on a basket by Zabian Dowdell with 13:17 left in the game.

After a basket by Pace, Tech again cut the lead to six on an Allen Calloway lay-up. But Syracuse went on a 10-0 run after that and the Hokies never came closer than 11 the rest of the game.

"I'm disappointed with the way our team competed the first 15 minutes of the game," Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "The last 24, at least we tried to compete. I was proud of our guys and ability to get back in the game.

"When we cut it to six, I thought we had some guys who played at a high level when we made that run. I have a lot of respect for the way Jamon Gordon, Bryan Randall and Bryant Matthews competed to get us back in the game."

Syracuse placed four guys in double figures and shot 52.6 percent from the floor - the third straight game in which a Tech opponent has shot better than 50 percent from the floor. Hakim Warrick had 15 points and seven boards, while Pace and Demetris Nichols added 12 each.

Gordon led the Hokies with 21 points on 9-of-17 from the floor. Matthews finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Tech shot 41 percent from the floor and got outrebounded 40-30.

The Hokies return to the friendly confines of Cassell Coliseum for their next game. Tech takes on Providence next Wednesday night, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.