Onuaku leads SU over Albany 75-43 to give Jim Boeheim his 800th career victory

SU beats Albany 75-43 for Boeheim’s 800th win

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Jim Boeheim became the eighth Division I coach to reach 800 wins with the latest milestone a 75-43 victory over Albany on Monday night in the 2K Sports Classic.

The 65-year-old Boeheim got his first victory, 75-48 over Harvard on Nov. 26, 1976.

Bob Knight leads the career list with 902 victories. Only Mike Krzyzewski (833), Jim Calhoun (804) and Boeheim are active among the eight who have reached 800.

Arinze Onuaku scored 14 points, Scoop Jardine and Wes Johnson each had 12 for Syracuse (1-0) in the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.

After the final buzzer, Boeheim received a framed uniform with No. 800 stitched on it and a montage of highlights of Boeheim’s career was played on the video boards hanging above the Carrier Dome court that bears his name.

Boeheim established an NCAA Division I record in 2008-09 with his 31st season with at least 20 wins. He has 800 in 1,088 games, including a record 356 wins in the Big East.

Will Harris led Albany (0-1) with 14 points and Tim Ambrose had 12.

In the annals of Division I, only Jim Phelan at Mount St. Mary’s (1,354) and Dean Smith at North Carolina (1,133) have coached more games at one school. And only Smith (879), Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp (876) and Phelan (830) have more wins at one school.

The Orange’s first regular-season game without its top three scorers from last season — Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf, who all departed — was a big improvement over their second and final exhibition game.

A week ago, Syracuse allowed 50 second-half points in a stunning 82-79 loss to crosstown foe LeMoyne, a Division II school. Against Albany, Syracuse’s defense excelled and its big men thrived inside.

Rick Jackson finished with 10 points for the Orange, Johnson added seven rebounds, three assists and six steals in his Syracuse debut after transferring from Iowa State, and Kris Joseph finished with 12 points.

In a dominant first half, Syracuse held a 30-6 edge in the paint, scored 19 points off 20 turnovers, and had 14-0 edge in fastbreak points. Albany shot 24 percent and was 3 of 14 (21.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

Syracuse set the tone early as Jackson and Onuaku each scored twice inside to build an 8-0 lead just over 2 minutes in.

After Ambrose hit a 3 from the left wing to move the Great Danes within 9-7 at 14:15, Jardine’s three-point play started a 9-0 run capped by a one-handed slam dunk by Joseph on a fast break.

Jardine, who sat out last season with an injury, followed his lob to Joseph with a fastbreak layup off a steal by Andy Rautins to boost the lead to 22-10 midway through the half.

Syracuse held Albany to three free throws in a span of just over 5 minutes and boosted the lead to 36-16 on two free throws by Johnson with 3:11 left.

The Great Danes trailed 38-20 at halftime and never threatened in the second half, falling behind by as many as 28 points.

Rautins, the Orange’s top outside threat last season, missed all six shots he attempted and left the game with 14:25 left with an apparent sprained right ankle.