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Jackson, Syracuse rout USF

Feb 6, 2011 - 2:49 AM Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Rick Jackson scored a season-high 21 points, collected 12 rebounds and handed out four assists to lead 17th-ranked Syracuse to a 72-49 victory over South Florida at St. Pete Times Forum.

Kris Joseph supplied 14 points and seven boards, while Scoop Jardine added five points and eight assists for the Orange (20-4, 7-4 Big East), who have won two straight since suffering all four of their losses in succession.

The victory also gave Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim his 33rd 20-win season, an NCAA Division I record.

"I think our defense was good right from the beginning," Boeheim said. "When our defense works, we get into our transition offense. I thought we were patient, moved the basketball and made a really good effort to get the ball inside. We got a lot of contributions from everybody."

Syracuse, which has had problems at the free throw line over the years and entered the game with a team success rate of 64 percent, hit 18-of-23 foul shots to defeat the Bulls for the eighth time in nine all-time meetings.

Jarrid Famous provided 14 points and eight rebounds, and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick chipped in 10 points and six boards for the Bulls (8-16, 2-9), who have dropped two in a row and four of their last five.

After an Augustus Gilchrist jumper put USF ahead 11-10, Syracuse ran off the next 12 points to double up the hosts with eight minutes to go in the half.

The Bulls pulled within six before Joseph buried a triple to make it 35-26 with two minutes left, and Syracuse took a 37-28 lead at the intermission. The visitors outscored South Florida, 11-0, in second chance points during the first 20 minutes.

Brandon Triche's layup just over four minutes into the half extended the Orange's lead to 47-31 before the Bulls trimmed the margin to ten with 11 1/2 minutes to go.

Joseph finished off an alley-oop pass to make it 55-41 slightly more than two minutes later and the Orange were never threatened the rest of the way.

"I thought we could have played a lot better, we just didn't have what it took today," South Florida head coach Stan Heath said. "I can handle a loss, I just don't like giving away a game. If we take care of the ball, get good shots, we play good defense and don't give up transition baskets and offensive putbacks, and we lose, you can swallow it. We just gave up so many points that way, it really bothers you."

Game Notes

Syracuse has won 20-or-more games in 14 consecutive seasons...Jackson made 8- of-13 from the floor...Dion Waiters supplied 10 points off the bench, while fellow freshman C.J. Fair added seven points and nine caroms in a reserve role in the victory...Hugh Robertson and Jawanza Poland both contributed eight points in defeat for the Bulls, who shot only 35.3 percent from the field. South Florida connected on only 2-of-15 from beyond the arc...Syracuse plays host to long-time conference rival Georgetown on Wednesday, while South Florida will be at home to face Marquette that same night.