There's was something so comforting about watching the Syracuse Orange pull away from the Fordham Rams early and dominating them for the rest of the game Saturday in a 78-53 victory. With everything going on with SU football, the fans get a reminder of seeing what it's like for an Orange team to deliver the goods.
Brandon Triche finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Orange (1-0), who compiled a 27-8 record last season and lost to Big East foe Marquette in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
With the Orange ahead by only two points at 9-7, Dion Waiters nailed a three- pointer to ignite 12-1 run that enabled the home team to take control of the game.
Syracuse led by as many as 18 points in the first half when Scoop Jardine's layup made it 30-12. Kris Joseph led the way with 16 points while Waiters added 14. Brandon Triche (!) was your leading rebounder with 7 while Fab Melo added 4 blocks. The Scoop Jardine terror line reads 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 turnovers. He also scored 7 points. Everyone on the roster played...except Trevor Cooney. Expect the freshman to redshirt at some point very soon. Rakeem Christmas saw 20 minutes of action (5 points, 6 rebounds) while Michael Carter-Williams scored 4 points in 18 minutes of work. The Orange move on quickly as they get Manhattan in the Dome tonight. If they can keep up this momentum, it'll be a welcome respite for Orange fans looking for a little dependability in their lives.