No. 7 Syracuse Downs No. 10 Florida, Runs Record To 9-0

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Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Rick Jackson recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Wesley Johnson added 17 and 10, as No. 7 Syracuse handled the 10th-ranked Florida Gators, 85-73, at St. Pete Times Forum.

Neither team was ranked entering the season but both were unbeaten coming into the game. Only Syracuse (9-0) left with a perfect mark, though, thanks to a 51.6 shooting percentage and a 40-27 rebounding advantage.

Andy Rautins scored 18 points, while Kris Joseph chipped in 12 points and 10 boards for the Orange, who have won every game this season by double digits.

Kenny Boynton and Chandler Parsons paced the Gators (8-1) with 20 and 19 points, respectively. Parsons, though, had seven of the team’s 17 turnovers.

Johnson’s jumper near the three-minute mark put Syracuse on top 75-69. After Boynton missed a three, Rautins’ finger-roll made it an eight-point game, and the Orange made enough free throws down the stretch to clinch the win.

Syracuse used an 8-0 run to build on a 24-22 lead midway through the first half. Brandon Triche’s layup yielded the 10-point margin, and the Orange continued to play in front the remaining of the stanza.

Jackson’s late slam capped his 16-point first half and gave Syracuse a 42-36 lead heading to the locker room.

Two Johnson free throws had the Big East program up 54-44 at the 14:22 mark of the second half. The Gators caught fire over the next four minutes, hitting five three-pointers in that span to pull ahead.

Parsons’ trey from the right wing yielded a 59-57 advantage at the midway point, but the lead was short-lived after Rautins hit a deep three of his own at the other end.

Johnson hit another from downtown on the next Syracuse possession, and the teams traded runs to keep it a four-point Orange lead, 73-69, with 3 1/2 minutes remaining.

The game was part of the Big East/SEC Invitational at the St. Pete Times Forum...Boynton and Erving Walker each had seven assists, with Walker adding 14 points for Florida.