800: Boeheim wins 800th career game in blowout victory over Albany
Jim Boeheim earned himself a spot in the record books Monday. With a 75-43 win over Albany, Boeheim became just the 8th coach in Division I men’s basketball history to win at least 800 games, joining Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski as one of three active coaches to reach the milestone.
Paced by a dominating frontcourt performance from Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson – who combined for 24 points and 9 rebounds – Boeheim watched his team roll comfortably from the start to finish in the opening round of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.
Though the coach was worried about a possible layover after an 82-79 loss to Division-II Le Moyne last Tuesday, the Orange silenced its critics after springing out to an 8-0 lead to start the game.
Sitting in the prototypical Boeheim zone defense, the Orange was able to stymie the Great Danes defensively, causing 32 turnovers, and using the extra possessions to convert on a bevy of fast break points.
In the half-court set though, the Orange piggybacked off a resurgent effort from Onuaku and Jackson, who were able to body-up on a much thinner Great Dane frontcourt and create opportunities for themselves underneath the basket.
Onuaku – who underwent surgery for chronic knee tendonitis over the summer – began to show signs of a more agile, pain free center Boeheim promised SU fans at media day. The 6-foot-9 261-pound center was able to work around single-man coverage all night, while escaping from the pack to score a few fast break points highlighted by a raucous two-handed jam midway through the first half.
Albany, on the other hand, was unable to provide an answer. The Great Danes failed to expand out of its motion playbook and cause the Orange any problems.
The Orange will take on Robert Morris at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday in the next leg of the tournament, and will eventually arrive at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19 to play California before the tournament’s elimination round on Nov. 20.
Published on November 8, 2009 at 12:00 pm
