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No. 14 Syracuse hosts Holy Cross in battle of unbeatens

Nov 27, 2006 - 3:48 PM Holy Cross (5-0) at No. 14 Syracuse (6-0) 7:00 pm EST

SYRACUSE, New York (Ticker) - You can't blame Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim if he is starting to get uncomfortable with his team's slow starts.

Boeheim is hoping for a better first-half performance from the 14th-ranked Orange, who meet Holy Cross on Monday in an early-season showdown of undefeated teams.

Syracuse needed to rebound from 15-point deficits in two of their past three contests to stay undefeated. The first time was an 81-58 victory over Northeastern on November 15.

After Wednesday's 12-point triumph over Charlotte, the Orange got off to a sluggish start before gradually coming back for their first road victory of the season in Saturday's 81-71 win over Canisius.

Demetris Nichols scored 20 points, Eric Devendorf added 17 and Paul Harris and Terrence Roberts 12 each for the Orange, who shot 67 percent (14-of-21) from the floor in the second half.

Off to its best start since winning its first six games in the 1988-1989 season, Holy Cross is 5-0 for the 11th time in school history.

Keith Simmons scored 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and tied a school record with seven steals for the Crusaders, who shot just 36 percent (22-of-60) in Saturday's 66-57 victory over William and Mary.

The teams have not met since 1981, when Syracuse posted a 77-57 win over Holy Cross in the NIT. Crusaders coach Ralph Willard, who is a former assistant with the Orange, lost seven of eight games against his former team while with Pittsburgh.