Michigan Up to Snuff in Rout of Syracuse

Just as Jim Boeheim feared, the “touted” Michigan basketball team showed up instead of the “underachievers” on Friday.

“This is the Michigan team people thought they’d be,” Boeheim said after the Wolverines’ 93-61 rout of his previously unbeaten and 19th-ranked Syracuse Orangemen for the championship of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic in San Juan.

“They’ve got four McDonald’s All-Americans who are all juniors and seniors. They’re playing well and they’re tough to handle,” Boeheim said.

Louis Bullock scored 24 points as Michigan (10-3) overpowered the Orangemen (11-1) inside and outside. The Wolverines made 11 of 20 three-point shots and had a 38-24 edge in rebounding.

“We’ve matured a little bit,” Michigan Coach Brian Ellerbe said. “Our guys understand now what it takes to play well every game. If we keep them excited and intense every time out, we could beat a lot of people.”

“They’re very physical,” Boeheim said. “It was the third night of the tournament and they just overpowered us. They had two easy games in the tournament and got to rest a lot of players. We got worn down.”

“They’ve got such a good inside game, you’ve got respect them and that opens up the perimeter,” Boeheim said. “They shot over 50% from the three-point line. If they do that, we can’t beat them. If we shoot better, we still get beat 10 or 12.”

Bullock, who also had eight assists and seven rebounds, said it “was a big game for us. Like Coach said, big-time games are for big-time players. We stepped up as a team.”

Said Ellerbe: “The two big guys are finally playing well at the same time.”

Jerod Ward had 18 points for Michigan and tournament most valuable player Robert Traylor contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. Robbie Reid added 14 points and Maceo Baston added 10 rebounds.

Bullock and Reid, each with four three-pointers, made three apiece in the first half to spark Michigan to a 40-28 lead. Bullock had 13 points by intermission.

The Wolverines’ lead was double digits for the final 24 minutes of the game.

Syracuse was led by Todd Burgan’s 19 points.

No. 12 Arkansas 78, Saint Louis 70--Kareem Reid scored 21 points and led a pressure defense as the Razorbacks ended a two-game losing streak by winning the seventh-place game in Puerto Rico.

Arkansas (9-2) was upset in the tournament by American University of Puerto Rico, a Division II team, and Murray State.

Saint Louis (8-4) has lost four consecutive games, although three have been to ranked teams. The Billikens have been beaten by UCLA, Syracuse, Iowa State and Arkansas after winning their first eight games.

Arkansas led, 12-0, after only 2:41, but needed a 25-11 run to take a 63-54 lead with 6:19 remaining.

Reid made eight of 15 shots for the Razorbacks, who also got had 15 points and 11 rebounds from Nick Davis.

Larry Hughes led Saint Louis with 20 points, despite playing with a sore shooting wrist.

No. 25 Texas Christian 105, American Puerto Rico 93--James Penny scored 23 of his 31 points after halftime to spark Texas Christian in the third-place game at Puerto Rico.

American (6-8) had the last chance to decide the game in regulation with the score 86-86, but Angel Paniagua’s 15-footer went in and out at the buzzer.

Penny made 13 of 21 shots and collected 12 rebounds. Lee Nailon added 23 points and 12 rebounds. Mike Jones had 20 points for TCU (11-2).

Orlando Santiago paced the Pirates with a career-high 39 points, and Wilfredo Pagan had 20.

No. 18 Princeton 58, Drexel 56--The Tigers struggled from three-point range and at the foul line, but they held Drexel to two points over the final 3:40 in the opening round of the East Coast Athletic Coast Holiday Festival at New York.

The Tigers (9-1) will meet Niagara in tonight’s championship game.

Princeton, which entered the game shooting 37% from three-point range, finished four for 25 from long distance, and the Tigers, who shoot 72% from the foul line, were 20 of 31, including five of 12 over the final 4:15.

Drexel (4-2) had a chance to win it despite the scoring drought at the end of the game. Greg Gaffney made two free throws with 6.4 seconds left to bring the Dragons within 57-56. Princeton’s James Mastaglio was fouled with 4.9 seconds left and made one of two free throws. Gaffney got off a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded. but it bounced off the rim.

Brian Earl led the Tigers with 17 points. Petrick Sanders topped Drexel with 17.

OTHER GAMES

Niagara 86, St. John’s 63--Alvin Young scored 26 points and Niagara took control with a 17-2 run in the second half as the Purple Eagles (3-5) beat St. John’s (7-4) in the ECAC Holiday Festival.

Murray St. 84, Iowa St 76--De’Teri Mayes and Chad Townsend scored five points each in overtime to lead Murray State in a consolation game at Puerto Rico.

Mayes, who scored 27 points, tied the score, 72-72, with a three-point basket with 13 seconds left in regulation. Townsend, who had 16 points, made a three-pointer with 19 seconds remaining to bring Murray State (11-1) within 71-69.

Iowa State (6-6) managed only a free throw from Martin Rancik in overtime until Curry made a three-point shot with 35 seconds left.