The Syracuse Orange had little trouble getting around the Villanova Wildcats on Wednesday night to keep their perfect record and top overall ranking intact. Syracuse led 43-24 at the half and scored 36 more points in the second half for the 79-66 win over their Big East rivals.
Senior forward Kris Joseph, Syracuse's leading scorer, was held to just eight points in the game, hitting just two of nine shots from the field. Sophomore guard Dion Waiters led the Orange with 20 points off the bench. He also had four rebounds, two assists and four steals. Guard James Southerland had 13 points, the only other Syracuse player in double digits for the game.
Despite their record, the Wildcats came into this game averaging more than 72 points per game and out rebounding opponents by an average of 5.8 per game. They struggled shooting the ball in this game, shooting just 32.3 percent from the field. Mouphtaou Yarou led the 'Cats with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Maalik Wayns, the team's leading scorer who started the game averaging 17.4 points per game was 0-7 from the field and scored just three points, all on free throws.
The win keeps Syracuse undefeated with an 18-0 record and a 5-0 record in the Big East this season. They host the Providence Friars on Saturday. The Wildcats fall below .500 again, one week after beating DePaul. They are now 8-9 with a 1-4 record in the Big East. They have a tough matchup on the road this Saturday, facing the 13-4 Cincinnati Bearcats who are coming off an upset over Georgetown.
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