Marston blog

No. 10 Syracuse beats Canisius 86-67

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Rick Jackson had 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, Brandon Triche added 16 points and No. 10 Syracuse beat Canisius 86-67 on Sunday.

It was the 831st career victory for Orange coach Jim Boeheim, moving him past Jim Phelan of Mount St. Mary's into fifth place all-time in Division I victories.

Syracuse (2-0) has beaten Canisius 20 straight times. The Golden Griffins (1-1) are 1-15 against Syracuse when it is ranked, the lone win coming Feb. 25, 1967, in Buffalo.

Scoop Jardine had 13 points and eight assists, C.J. Fair had 11 points, and Kris Joseph 10 for the Orange.

Greg Logins led Canisius with 17 points and Syracuse native Elton Frazier had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Syracuse, which struggled again early, broke open a close game with a 7-0 spurt to start the second half as Jackson fed Fab Melo for a layup. Triche followed with a layup off the glass and a 3-pointer from the left wing to give the Orange a 39-29 lead.

Canisius rallied behind consecutive 3s by Alshwan Hymes and Logins, but the Orange took command with a 12-4 spurt midway through the half.

After a 3 by Robert Goldsberry and a free throw by Logins moved the Griffs within 54-45, Jackson, who had a tough first half, hit a 10-foot jumper to start the Syracuse surge. Triche then swished a 3 from the left corner and Jardine assisted on consecutive fast-break baskets by Triche and Fair to give the Orange a 66-49 lead with 8:34 to go.

The Orange had their share of troubles early trying to penetrate as the athletic Griffs blocked six shots in the first half. Jackson, a career 59 percent shooter, the fourth-best mark in Syracuse history, was 3 of 10 in the first half but was active defensively with four blocks.

Jardine, who missed all seven shots he took and did not score in the opener against Northern Iowa, had 10 points and four assists to help keep the Orange close.

Syracuse trailed 25-21 after Goldsberry rattled in a 3-pointer at 8:14, but a follow by Joseph tied it at 25-all and his three-point play helped Syracuse to a 32-29 halftime lead.

The Orange shot just 30.8 percent in the first half. They rebounded by hitting 52.5 percent in the second while holding Canisius to 34.3 percent shooting for the game. The Griffs were 9 of 35 from beyond the arc.

Melo and the 6-foot-10 Keita each played 18 minutes and fouled out of the Orange's 68-46 season-opening win over Northern Iowa on Friday night. Melo, the Orange's 7-foot starter, mans the heart of the zone and was free of any fouls with 4 minutes left in the first half on Sunday, then was hit with three in a 35-second span and headed to the bench. He fouled out with 3:56 left after scoring that lone basket and grabbing four rebounds.

Keita had 11 rebounds in the second half as Syracuse finished with a 58-43 edge on the boards after outrebounding the Griffs by just one in the opening half.