NEWARK, N.J. – Jim Boeheim made it obvious what Syracuse’s key to victory would be against Seton Hall.

Playing against a Pirates team that started just one player taller than 6-foot-5, it would be on Syracuse’s frontcourt to control the boards and provide points from inside.

‘It was definitely at the top of the list,’ Arinze Onuaku said of SU exploiting its height advantage. ‘Anytime you play a team that starts a 6-foot-4, four-man and things like that. coach was just telling me, ‘Check them down low’ and things like that.’

The Syracuse frontcourt followed its coach’s gameplan. The trio of Donte Greene, Kristof Ongenaet and Onuaku each registered a double-double in points and rebounds in the Orange’s 85-73 victory – the first time all year the Orange has had three players register double-doubles in one game.

Behind those three, Syracuse won Wednesday’s game with physical play inside, nearly doubling up Seton Hall in rebounds (54-29) and in points in the paint (46-24).

‘They’re going to play a guard lineup, they’re going to pressure and get steals,’ Boeheim said. ‘You have to make them pay inside or on the boards as much as you can. And we were able to do that.’

That was indeed the best strategy against a Seton Hall team that relies on its speedy guards and forwards. The Pirates played just one true big man, 6-foot-9 center John Garcia, and two 6-foot-5 players, Brian Laing and Jeremy Hazell, whose games are more suited to the guard position.

Playing against that lineup, Greene and Ongenaet recorded career-highs in rebounds with 13 and 11, respectively. Onuaku meanwhile tied his season-high with 14 boards.

Ongenaet played perhaps his best half of basketball in the game’s opening frame. By halftime, the junior already had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, including SU’s first six points of the contest.

‘For me, the first 3-pointer gave me a lot of confidence for the next 20 minutes,’ Ongenaet said. ‘I went for every offensive rebound and I got a lot of them. I just tried to be aggressive.’

That domination on the glass by Ongenaet and Co. disabled a Pirates offense that relies on high-octane, fastbreak basketball.

‘The game was won and lost on the backboard,’ Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez said. ‘When you lose a game by 25 rebounds, the only way you can make your 3’s.’

Bad news for the Pirates, who gave SU plenty of rebounds to be had by making just nine of their 34 3-point attempts. Seton Hall attempted five more 3-pointers than it did regular field goals.

Just four days earlier, Pittsburgh’s 12 offensive rebounds had played a role in allowing the Panthers to keep it close in the first half.

There were no such problems Wednesday. Syracuse had more rebounds by halftime (32) than it did the entire game against the Panthers. It also allowed just seven offensive boards and seven second-chance points to the Pirates.

And if at any point his players forgot to crash the boards, Boehiem was quick to offer a reminder.

He substituted out Onuaku less than three minutes into the game, incensed that the SU center hadn’t battled hard enough for a potential rebound.

‘He had 14 rebounds. He’s got to do that,’ Boeheim said. ‘If he’s content with getting four rebounds, we can’t win that way. He’s gotta be more aggressive and he was, maybe I should have taken him out more.’

That aggressiveness translated to the offensive end as well for Onuaku, who all night was featured prominently in the Syracuse offense. He added 17 points going against an overmatched Garcia, SU’s second-highest point total behind only Greene, who added 19.

Garcia, meanwhile, had just four points on 2-of-3 from the field to go along with a team-high nine rebounds.

The night resulted in perhaps the SU frontcourt’s best all-around effort of the season. It was no doubt the performance Boeheim and his staff expected going against such a smaller opponent.

‘That’s what happens when you play a smaller team,’ Onuaku said. ‘Coach just told us ‘(Go) to the boards.’ So me, Donte and Kris just tried to go up and get every rebound.’

jsclayto@syr.edu

Published on March 8, 2008 at 12:00 pm