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Syracuse faces first conference test, rival Georgetown

Jan 14, 2009 - 11:28 AM No. 8 Syracuse (16-1) at No. 12 Georgetown (11-3) 7:30 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- In a conference with eight ranked teams, Syracuse has managed a perfect start in Big East play, thanks in part to a schedule that has lacked a Top-25 foe. That is about to change.

The eighth-ranked Orange open a stretch of four straight contests against ranked opponents when they visit 12th-ranked Georgetown on Wednesday.

Syracuse (16-1, 4-0 Big East) has won seven straight games after its shocking upset loss to Cleveland State on December 15, including four straight to open conference play. Those four wins have come against teams with a combined 1-14 mark in Big East play.

Paul Harris scored a season-high 26 points and Arinze Onuaku added 19 for the Orange, who beat Rutgers for the eighth straight time, 82-66, on Saturday.

Syracuse has won eight of its last 10 meetings with Georgetown, but the teams each won their respective home games last season.

The Hoyas (11-3, 2-2) are coming off an 82-75 victory over Providence on Saturday. Austin Freeman led five players in double figures with 18 points and freshman Greg Munroe stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and five steals.

Still, Georgetown needed a 21-2 second-half run to put away the upset-minded Friars and bounce back from consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and Notre Dame.

Following their matchup with the Orange, the Hoyas travel to second-ranked Duke on Saturday for their seventh contest with a ranked team this season.