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Syracuse downs Providence in Big East opener

Dec 29, 2010 - 5:27 AM Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) - Kris Joseph poured in a career-high 27 points as 5th-ranked Syracuse held off a late push from Providence in an 81-74 win in the Big East opener for both teams at the Carrier Dome.

Scoop Jardine supplied 21 points and seven assists while Rick Jackson provided nine points and 17 rebounds for the Orange (14-0), who have dominated the all- time series with a 44-10 advantage.

Syracuse has won the first 14 games of a season for a third time in head coach Jim Boeheim's 35 campaigns on the bench.

Marshon Brooks scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds and Bilal Dixon chipped in with 11 points and nine boards for the Friars (11-3), who had won two in a row and seven out of eight entering the contest.

Providence pulled to within 51-47 on a Brooks foul shot with 13 1/2 minutes to play before the hosts embarked on a 14-2 burst to forge a 65-49 lead with just over nine minutes remaining.

Gerard Coleman and Brooks knocked down three-pointers to trim the hosts lead to 68-63 inside of five minutes to go.

Brooks missed a corner three attempt that could have sliced the lead to one before Jardine's pull-up jumper pushed the Syracuse lead to 73-67 with two minutes to go.

After the teams traded buckets, three Jackson foul shots made it 78-71 with under 50 seconds to go. A Duke Mondy three-pointer trimmed the lead back to four with 32.4 ticks left.

Joseph and Jardine combined to hit three free throws to account for the final margin.

Leading 29-25 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the opening half, Syracuse reeled off the next eight points to extend the lead to 12 with 2:39 remaining.

A Joseph dunk and James Southerland triple pushed the Orange advantage to 42-29 before a Vincent Council trifecta right before the buzzer made it a 10- point game at the half.

Game Notes

Joseph was 8-of-13 from the field, including 4-for-6 from beyond the arc...His four three-pointers were a career-high...Jardine was 8-of-10 at the charity stripe for the Orange, who went 22-of-30 at the line...Brandon Triche supplied 15 points in the victory...Brooks made 10-of-22 from the floor as the visitors shot just 39.7 percent...Providence made only 8-of-30 from long distance...Council added 10 points, eight caroms and seven assists in defeat.