The Syracuse men's basketball team will face Florida in the 2011 BIG EAST/SEC Challenge on Friday, December 2, 2011, in the Carrier Dome. It will mark the first time the Orange and the Gators have squared off in Syracuse.
Syracuse and Florida have met four times previously with the Orange claiming three of the outings. Syracuse defeated Florida in the 1987 NCAA Tournament, 87-81. In 2005, the Gators won, 75-70, in the finals of the 2K Sports College Hoop Classic. Syracuse claimed the last two meetings, 89-83 in the semifinals of the 2008 O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, and 85-73 in the 2009 SEC/BIG EAST Challenge.
The two programs both earned spots in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Syracuse finished the season with a 27-8 record while Florida was 29-8.
The full list of pairings in the 2011 BIG EAST/SEC Challenge are:
Thursday, December 1st
St. John's @ Kentucky
Providence @ South Carolina
Georgetown @ Alabama
Mississippi @ DePaul
Friday, December 2nd
Cincinnati @ Georgia
Florida @ Syracuse
Auburn @ Seton Hall
Vanderbilt @ Louisville
Saturday, December 3rd
Arkansas @ Connecticut (site TBD)
LSU @ Rutgers
Pittsburgh @ Tennessee
West Virginia @ Mississippi State
Big East teams not participating in the challenge this year are Marquette, Notre Dame, South Florida, and Villanova.
**Courtesy SU Athletics**
