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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Syracuse (Coaches vs. Cancer)
Sixth-Ranked Syracuse Outlasts Princeton, 56-45, at Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
November 12, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2004
Box Score
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Princeton did a whole bunch of things right Friday night against Syracuse in front of a hostile Carrier Dome crowd of over 20,000. But in the end, a terrific zone defense and the clutch play of Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara proved to be enough for the sixth-ranked Orange to escape with a win.
Warrick scored six of his game-high 20 points in a 16-5 Syracuse run that ended the game, McNamara hit a contested three-pointer with the shot clock running down to give the Orange a 47-41 lead with just over six minutes left and the Orange held Princeton without a field goal for the final 8:42 on the way to a 56-45 defeat of the Tigers in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic Friday night.
With the win, the Orange (2-0) advance to next Thursday's CVC semifinals at Madison Square Garden. Despite the loss, Princeton (1-1) came out of the game with a real sense of where it is in the early season. "We knew it was going to be difficult, having a game like this so early in the year," said Princeton head coach Joe Scott. "But I thought it was important for this team to play these kinds of games, and we'll learn from it and get better."
Princeton trailed 34-24 three minutes into the second half but then began to solve the Orange's zone to get right back into the game. After six points from Judson Wallace and four from Will Venable and a nice driving layup by Luke Owings, the Tigers had a 13-3 run and had tied the game at 37 with 10:08 left.
After Demitris Nichols gave Syracuse the lead back with a three-pointer a minute later, Max Schafer hit a clutch three-pointer on Princeton's next possession to tie the game at 40. But that basket would be the Tigers' final field goal of the game.
Josh Pace then began a 7-1 Syracuse run with a short jumper in the lane, a run that was capped by McNamara's wing jumper near the six-minute mark. The Tigers were still within six at 49-43 in the final two minutes, but Warrick's follow dunk on Pace's missed free throw with 1:41 left gave the Orange an insurmountable 52-43 advantage.
Will Venable led Princeton with 17 points, shooting a perfect 5 for 5 from the field and 6 for 6 from the line. Venable had nine of his points in the first half before being forced to bench with a second foul with eight minutes left in the half.
"It's disappointing because we let an opportunity slip away," said Venable. "Syracuse is a Top 10 team and we had a chance but just didn't make enough plays at the end."
McNamara led the game off with a three-pointer for Syracuse, but the Tigers then scored 14 of the game's next 16 points on an array of layups and three-point shots to take a nine-point lead. Venable had six points in that 14-2 run, while Judson Wallace and Scott Greenman each drained a three-point shot in the game's first seven minutes.
Syracuse rallied to take a 28-22 halftime lead, scoring the final six points of the half in the final 1:53. Nichols, who had 10 of his 14 points in the first half, scored four of those six points.
Wallace had 11 points and three blocks for Princeton despite foul trouble that limited him to 23 minutes. Princeton shot just 30% (6 for 20) from the field in the second half after connecting on 9 of 18 shots (50%) in the first 20 minutes.
Syracuse shot 53% in the second half after connecting on just 37% in the first half.
Warrick was named the Most Valuable Player of the Syracuse regional of the CVC Classic. The senior shot 6 for 9 from the field and 8 for 10 from the line while playing all 40 minutes.