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Syracuse Holds Off Upset-Minded USF

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By BRETT McMURPHY

bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: January 3, 2009

Updated: 01/03/2009 12:22 am

TAMPA - Not this time.

For a second consecutive season, the University of South Florida nearly shocked No. 13 Syracuse. However, the Bulls' valiant comeback fell just short as the Orange held on for a 59-54 victory Friday night in USF's Big East opener.

"First answer," USF coach Stan Heath said before being asked a question in his postgame news conference, "not interested in moral victories.

"But I am proud that we showed a lot of character and more toughness in the second half. We're going to need to be that way. We need to be a team that's going to scrap and outwork and not give up the easy baskets."

Dominique Jones, who had 15 of his 17 points in the second half, led the Bulls' comeback. USF (5-8, 0-1 Big East) trailed the entire evening, but pulled within three points on two occasions in the final three minutes.

The last time was with 36 seconds remaining, but Jones was just short on a fallaway 3-pointer from the corner.

"I don't know how many he Jones had made in a row previously," Heath said. "I'm not going to question him when he has the hot hand like that. We've seen what he can do when that happens to him.

"We would have wanted to work for something a little better. He had a difficult shot, but in some ways he can make that shot."

Syracuse (14-1, 1-0) got the rebound. Eric Devendorf hit two free throws with 19 seconds remaining to account for the final margin before a Sun Dome crowd of 8,350, the majority rooting for the visiting Orange.

Last year in Tampa, USF upset Syracuse 89-78, a loss that may have kept the 19-13 Orange from receiving an at-large NCAA Tournament berth. Last year's loss was so disheartening that on the plane trip home, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim met with each player individually to talk about staying focused.

Boeheim likely repeated part of that talk on Friday night's flight back home after watching USF cut SU's 16-point halftime lead to three.

"We should have just had dominant control of the game," Boeheim said. "There were a lot of turnovers in the second half, a lot of mistakes that we didn't make in the first half.

"We were just trying to hang on at the end and we were very fortunate to hang on."

Even playing without leading rebounder Paul Harris (12.9 points, 8.4 rebounds), the Orange crushed the Bulls inside with 6-foot-9, 275-pound billboard Arinze Onuaku (13 points, 10 rebounds).

USF's B.J. Ajayi had a career-high 15 points and seven rebounds.

Syracuse forward Kris Joseph said the Orange were pushed to the limit. "One thing for sure is I got a little nervous," he said.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928.

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