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Gators Fall In Tourney Semis

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By JOHN MARSHALL

The Associated Press

Published: November 25, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Paul Harris had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Jonny Flynn scored 18 points and Syracuse beat No. 17 Florida 89-83 Monday in the semifinals of the CBE Classic.

Syracuse (4-0) opened the season with easy wins against Le Moyne, Richmond and Oakland, shooting over 50 percent while scoring over 82 points a game. The Orange had similar success against a much formidable opponent, picking apart Florida's zone with dribble drives and spot-up shooting from the perimeter.

Syracuse shot 51 percent from the field, outrebounded Florida 40-30 and had 19 assists on 31 field goals. Andy Rautins hit five 3-pointers and had 15 points - all in the first half - Arinze Onuaku added 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Kris Joseph had 10 points for the Orange.

Alex Tyus finished with a career-best 24 points on 11-for-14 shooting and Nick Calathes had 19 points for Florida (3-1), which lost despite getting 12 steals.

Syracuse repeatedly beat Florida off the dribble, penetrating the lane for easy layups or kickouts to shooters at the 3-point line.

The Orange had 11 assists on 16 field goals in the first half, more half of those coming on dribble penetrations by Harris, Flynn and Eric Devendorf.

Rautins, Syracuse's best perimeter shooter, had yet to find his stroke this season, scoring 20 total points on 6-for-24 shooting, including 4-for-20 on 3-pointers. He came out firing against Florida, hitting five 3-pointers in the first half despite Florida's coaches repeatedly yelling "shooter!" each time he touched the ball.

Florida faces either Kansas or Washington in tonight's consolation game (7:45, ESPNU).

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