Syracuse men's basketball 2013-14: Orange vs. Ryerson
Syracuse guard Ron Patterson looks for an open man after driving the lane in the first half of Tuesday's game against Ryerson at the Carrier Dome.
(Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)
Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse Orange used an 18-0 second-half run to put away Ryerson University 81-46 in an exhibition game Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse led Ryerson by 14 points early in the second half when the run came.
Syracuse had led by as many as 21 points in the first half, but the Orange let the Rams hang around and even cut into the lead.
Then the Orange stunned Ryerson with a lightning bolt of offensive firepower. Syracuse scored 18 consecutive points to turn a 41-27 lead into a 59-27 advantage.
The starting backcourt of Tyler Ennis and Trevor Cooney sparked the run. Cooney started the spurt with a 3-pointer. Ennis followed with a steal and a layup. Near the run's end, Ennis banked one in high off the glass, Cooney hit another 3-pointer and Ennis polished off the outburst with a driving layup.
The Orange would breeze from there in its second and final exhibition game.
Syracuse opens the regular season on Friday with a home game against long-time foe Cornell. The game is at 7 p.m. and will be televised on MSG Plus.
C.J. Fair led the Orange with 18 points. Rakeem Christmas scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Orange. Dajuan Coleman added 10 points and 10 boards.
Syracuse held Ryerson to 30 percent (16 of 52) field-goal shooting. The Rams also committed 24 turnovers.
Syracuse led 39-23 at halftime after holding Ryerson to 35 percent (8-for-23) shooting from the field.
Syracuse's size and athleticism overwhelmed Ryerson right from the opening tap. The Orange raced out to a 14-5 lead that eventually grew to a 32-11 advantage. At one point late in the first half, Fair had out-scored the entire Ryerson roster 15-11.
The biggest difference in Tuesday's exhibition and Syracuse's first preseason game last Friday against Holy Family was SU coach Jim Boeheim's lengthy use of his full-court press.
The Orange went to the press on at least seven occasions in the first half of Tuesday's game. Ryerson was able to break through the pressure a few times, but the Orange did force the Rams into 14 first-half turnovers.
Just as he did in the first exhibition, Boeheim used all 11 scholarship players in the first half.