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Green Wave crushed by No. 1 Orange

Dec 23, 2011 - 3:42 AM Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) - Dion Waiters scored 15 points, Kris Joseph had 13 and No. 1 Syracuse coasted to an 80-61 victory over Tulane on Thursday in its third game in six days.

James Southerland added 10 points for Syracuse (13-0) and Brandon Triche had nine.

Facing their final non-league opponent of the regular season, the Orange won their 31st straight home game outside the Big East. They moved to 10-0 at home and pulled within six wins of the best start in program history.

"It is nice to get to this point and not have a loss. We had two or three games that could have gone the other way very easily. We played well down the stretch in those games, which is great," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim.

"I think we were able to get a lot of guys minutes so everybody is comfortable on the basketball court right now. Obviously once conference play starts, competition steps way up. I think we are prepared for that."

Kendall Timmons scored 16 points to lead Tulane (11-2) while Ricky Tarrant had 15 and Jordan Callahan added 10.

The Green Wave, who went nearly nine minutes without a bucket between the first and second half, had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Syracuse shot 51 percent from the floor and almost 48 percent (10-of-21) from three-point range.

The Orange ended the first half on a 19-0 run, stretching their 22-19 lead to 41-19 at the break. They buried five three-pointers during the surge, getting two apiece from Southerland and Triche.

"Every game of basketball is pretty much a game of runs," said Boeheim. "You get a run, and that is what I pretty much think it has always been."

Tarrant's three-pointer 1:50 into the second half was Tulane's first basket since Timmons knocked down a three with seven minutes remaining in the first.

But Syracuse's lead was 20 at the time and the outcome was never in doubt.

Game Notes

The two clubs have met once previously, in 2007-08, with Syracuse earning a 73-60 win...The Orange's best start ever was 19-0 in the 1999-2000 season. They went 18-0 at the start of last year...Syracuse opens Big East play next Wednesday against Seton Hall.