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Syracuse looking for major boost against Connecticut

Feb 11, 2009 - 11:36 AM No. 22 Syracuse (18-6) at No. 1 Connecticut (22-1) 7:00 p.m. EST

STORRS, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Things could get worse for Syracuse before it gets better.

The 22nd-ranked Orange try to reverse their roughest stretch of the season on Wednesday when they visit No. 1 Connecticut.

Syracuse (18-6, 6-5 Big East) is 2-5 over its last seven games after suffering four losses in its last five contests, including a 102-85 setback to then-No. 16 Villanova on Saturday.

Jonny Flynn scored 22 points while Eric Devendorf chipped in 21 to pace the struggling Orange, who allowed Villanova to shoot 55 percent (36-of-66) from the floor, score 40 points in the paint and forge a 46-37 edge on the glass.

After the scrap with Connecticut (22-1, 10-1), which owns the top spot in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll for the second consecutive week, Syracuse returns home on Saturday for a meeting with Georgetown. The Hoyas have endured a slide of their own recently, dropping six of their last seven.

The Huskies extended their current win streak to 11 games on Saturday with a 69-61 victory over Michigan.

Hasheem Thabeet scored 17 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, Jerome Dyson had 19 points and Jeff Adrien added nine and 14 boards for UConn, which moved into first place in the Big East after then-No. 8 Marquette endured a 57-56 upset to South Florida on Friday.