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The Daily OrangeMBB | Full steam ahead: Syracuse dominates inside in win, takes 4-game winning streak into Big East play
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 12/30/07, 5:32 PM EST Section: Sports
Related: Freshman Jardine has career day in 3rd start
Dec. 30 5:31 p.m. -- Paul Harris smiled a bit on Sunday as reporters crowded around him in the Syracuse men's basketball locker room and asked about his 15-rebound outburst in a 95-74 win against Northeastern.
He had showered and long since removed the plug from his left nostril, to stop a nose bleed after a collision in the first half, and seemed happy with his performance.
Hopefully it was enough for his relatives too. He'd been hearing from them lately.
"I got a couple text messages from my family telling me like 'What happened to the guy who used to get 10, 11 rebounds?'
"You know, I've been getting five and seven," said Harris, who had actually pulled down seven and seven in the past two games against Colgate and Cornell. "So I just went out there and tried to grab everyone. And I got a lot of them."
Those rebounds, along with 19 points, 7 assists and a serious inside presence, helped lead the Orange (10-3) over the Huskies (4-7) in front of 20,633 at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse closed out its non-conference schedule with four consecutive victories since a 91-89 loss to Rhode Island on Dec. 8. SU opens its Big East slate at home against St. John's on Wednesday.
The Orange won by being aggressive inside, a place where they will try to make their living from here on out, as they deal with the loss of junior guard Eric Devendorf and his outside shot.
But physical play near the basket suits Harris fine.
"That makes the game more intense, it makes me what to play harder," he said. "I like the contact."
With Northeastern running a triangle-and-two defense designed to shut down Syracuse freshmen Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn on the outside, the Orange began forcing the ball inside to produce points.
Dec. 30 5:31 p.m. -- Paul Harris smiled a bit on Sunday as reporters crowded around him in the Syracuse men's basketball locker room and asked about his 15-rebound outburst in a 95-74 win against Northeastern.
He had showered and long since removed the plug from his left nostril, to stop a nose bleed after a collision in the first half, and seemed happy with his performance.
Hopefully it was enough for his relatives too. He'd been hearing from them lately.
"I got a couple text messages from my family telling me like 'What happened to the guy who used to get 10, 11 rebounds?'
"You know, I've been getting five and seven," said Harris, who had actually pulled down seven and seven in the past two games against Colgate and Cornell. "So I just went out there and tried to grab everyone. And I got a lot of them."
Those rebounds, along with 19 points, 7 assists and a serious inside presence, helped lead the Orange (10-3) over the Huskies (4-7) in front of 20,633 at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse closed out its non-conference schedule with four consecutive victories since a 91-89 loss to Rhode Island on Dec. 8. SU opens its Big East slate at home against St. John's on Wednesday.
The Orange won by being aggressive inside, a place where they will try to make their living from here on out, as they deal with the loss of junior guard Eric Devendorf and his outside shot.
But physical play near the basket suits Harris fine.
"That makes the game more intense, it makes me what to play harder," he said. "I like the contact."
With Northeastern running a triangle-and-two defense designed to shut down Syracuse freshmen Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn on the outside, the Orange began forcing the ball inside to produce points.
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