It was a new year, but the same result.
The #1 ranked Syracuse Orange mens basketball team routed DePaul 87-68 in front of over 12,000 fans at the Allstate Arena in Chicago on New Year's Day. The win improves the Orange to 15-0 on the season on the first day of 2012.
Kris Joseph led the scoring effort with 20 points, after going scoreless in SU's last game against Seton Hall, and snagged 7 rebounds. Fab Melo matched his career high in points for the second game in a row with 12 points, and continued his blocking binge with 5 tonight, on the heels of 10 in Wednesday's win. He also grabbed 5 rebounds.
DePaul used a 7-0 run to take a 7-2 lead early. Syracuse responded with a 7-0 run of its own and never looked back, or trailed again en route to the 19 point win.
The Orange showed just how quickly it can vanquish opponents with the run, and how it raced to a 19 point halftime lead. At one point in the second half, SU led 77-58, roughly 40 seconds of game action later, the 'Cuse led 85-58.
C.J. certainly helped the offensive effort, not missing a shot all day. He was 6-6 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line in a 16 point outburst. Dion Waiters chipped in with 13 points, Brandon Triche scored 12, James Southerland had 8, Scoop Jardine had four and Michael Carter-Williams scored two when he stole a DePaul pass in the first half and raced down the court for an easy layup.
Syracuse, undoubtedly will remain #1 for the 4th week in a row. That top rank will be challenged twice this week, with a road date at Providence on Wednesday at 9 p.m. #13 Marquette visits the Carrier Dome at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
