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St. Bonaventure at Syracuse

Posted: Wednesday March 13, 2002 11:13 AM

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SYRACUSE, New York (Ticker) -- Despite winning 20 games and having history on its side, Syracuse must settle for the National Invitation Tournament as it hosts St. Bonaventure in the first round on Wednesday.

Syracuse (20-11) became the first Big East team to record 20 wins and not reach the NCAA tournament since the field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

The Orangemen got off to a quick start, winning the preseason NIT, but they enter with a four-game losing streak and have lost nine of their 13 games since January 14.

Syracuse lost, 78-68, to Villanova in the first round of the Big East Conference tournament last Wednesday and is missing the NCAA tournament for just the second time since 1981-82.

In their last NIT appearance in 1997, the Orangemen lost 82-67 to Florida State in the first round.

St. Bonaventure (17-12) is one five teams from the Atlantic 10 Conference in the field and is making its 15th appearance in the NIT.

Last season, the Bonnies lost, 84-75, to Pittsburgh in the first round. They have not won an NIT game since defeating Southern Mississippi in 1995.

The Bonnies have earned three consecutive postseason berths for the first time since 1977-79.

St. Bonaventure lost its last game to Richmond, 78-69, in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals last Wednesday. The Bonnies have lost four of their last five games.

Syracuse and St. Bonaventure have met 21 times with the Orangemen claiming 18 games. The Orangemen won the last meeting, 71-55, on December 27, 1998 and have won eight straight in the series.