For the second consecutive season, No. 5 Syracuse (13-0) heads into Big East conference play undefeated. And against Providence (11-2) inside the Carrier Dome Tuesday at 9 p.m., the Orange will look to win its first 14 games for the first time in 11 seasons.

SU has had nearly a week of rest after an easy 93-65 victory over Drexel last Wednesday to close out nonconference play.

The Big East, however, presents an entirely new challenge for the Orange. Five teams — Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Villanova and Georgetown — make up half of the current Top 10 in the nation. For SU, the daunting challenge the conference represents begins Tuesday.

Here are some interesting facts on the matchup with the Friars:

FREE THROWS

A win for SU would make the Orange 14-0 for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Syracuse began that season 19-0, ending the season with a Sweet 16 loss to Michigan State.

Syracuse has won its past four Big East opening games.

STAT TO KNOW

Syracuse has 91 assists to just 38 turnovers, respectively, in the past four games.

BIG NUMBER: 57.7

The percentage Syracuse has shot from the field in its past four games, after only shooting better than 50 percent once in its first nine contests.

FORTUNE COOKIE: Fryers

BEAT WRITER PREDICTIONS

Brett LoGiurato

Syracuse 72, Providence 60

Providence is off to its best start since 1988-89, but it relies too much on the 3-pointer — even while it has been relatively ineffective from beyond the arc. SU’s impressive 3-point defense will further expose the Friars’ flaw.

 

–Compiled by Brett LoGiurato, sports editor, bplogiur@syr.edu

Published on December 27, 2010 at 12:00 pm