Kentucky Routs Syracuse In Rematch Of Title Game

Derek Anderson scored a career-high 25 points as No. 8 Kentucky turned the rematch of last April’s NCAA championship game into a laugher with an 87-53 rout of No. 12 Syracuse on Thursday night in the Great Alaska Shootout.

Jamaal Magloire added 16 points for the Wildcats (1-1), who handed the Orangemen their worst loss in 33 years and the worst loss ever under coach Jim Boeheim.

Otis Hill had 17 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Orangemen (1-1).

Magloire, Jared Prickett and Ron Mercer each pulled done eight rebounds for Kentucky.

The Wildcats gave Syracuse the thrashing expected last April, when Kentucky won the national championship with a 76-67 victory over the Orangemen.

While that game was much closer than expected, Kentucky’s suffocating defense and crisp passing had the Orangemen on their heels from the outset this time.

Leading by 22 points at halftime, the Wildcats pushed their lead to 38 points late in the second half, long after most of the starters had been pulled by Kentucky coach Rick Pitino.

Kentucky took the lead for good 3 minutes into the game on Nazr Mohammed’s layup, which ignited a 21-7 run over the next 6 minutes that put the Wildcats in control.

The Orangemen closed to 32-24 with 4 minutes left in the half before Anderson made consecutive 3-pointers and Allen Edwards and Mercer hit jumpers in a 10-0 run.