It’s been an uncharacteristic two games for the Syracuse offense. C.J. Fair, averaging nearly 17 points per game, has scored just 25. Trevor Cooney, who’s shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc, has made just four of his last 13 3s.

The pair managed just eight combined points in the second half of Syracuse’s (18-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast) 59-54 win against Pittsburgh (16-2, 4-1) on Saturday in the Carrier Dome. In their place was a 16-point day for Tyler Ennis — he scored 12 earlier in the week against Boston College — and Rakeem Christmas, whose shooting percentage continues to climb up toward 75.

“I’m just trying to stay big and take up space down low,” said Christmas, who went 4-for-4 against the No. 22 Panthers, “and then go up strong when I have a good look.”

Fair rattled off seven quick points to start the game, but finished with just 13 and went just 2-of-6 from the free-throw line. Cooney added just six points with a single 3-pointer in each half.

Late in the game, Syracuse turned to Ennis — averaging 11.9 points per game — for its most crucial buckets.

“They’re playing Trevor and C.J. hard,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “We’re trying to give him an opportunity where he can get to the basket. He just has a knack for doing it that’s as good as just about anybody that I’ve seen.”

Cooney and Fair still managed to deliver some critical baskets for the Orange, though. The forward hit a 3-pointer early in the game to helped Syracuse establish an early lead. The guard hit a 3 early in the second half to stretch the Orange’s lead to seven before Pitt rallied to lead for much of the second half.

As the two teams battled, Fair sunk a jump shot to give SU a 48-46 lead with 6:27 remaining, but he didn’t score for the rest of the game. Ennis took on that burden.

“A lot of teams are going to pay a lot of attention to me and Trevor and then he’s making plays,” Fair said. “He’s making the defense pay for not helping off. If he can continue making plays like that it’s going to open up so much more things.”

Published on January 19, 2014 at 6:53 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2