SYRACUSE 56, NEW MEXICO 46

The Sweet 16 doesn’t feel that sweet yet for veteran Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

A certified worrier, Boeheim hardly could savor Sunday’s victory over New Mexico before considering his next assignment–No. 1-seeded Duke–Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

“Duke is a great basketball team, and they have been No. 1 most of the year,” Boeheim said. “I thought Oklahoma State played great (in their six-point loss to the Blue Devils Sunday) and they couldn’t get there. That’s how good Duke is.

“This is a (Duke) team that beats other good teams by 20 or 30 points. They are just a real good basketball team, and they have a lot of answers.”

Boeheim’s Orangemen had the answer for New Mexico in the second round of the South Regional Sunday in less than spectacular fashion–Syracuse prevailed 56-46.

“When you don’t shoot well, it looks like an ugly game,” Boeheim said. “But it doesn’t matter how you get there. We’ve played a lot of beautiful games and gone home.”

Syracuse (26-8) advanced despite shooting just 34 percent (21 of 62). The Orangemen turned the ball over only eight times and held a 49-36 edge in rebounds.

“They weren’t shooting well, we weren’t shooting well, but we were always in control of the game,” said Syracuse guard Marius Janulis, who made only 4 of 12 shots and finished with 10 points.

Syracuse held fourth-seeded New Mexico (24-8) to a season-low 25.5 percent shooting, including 6 of 25 from three-point range.

“We created some good shots, and we missed some good shots,” New Mexico coach Dave Bliss said. “It’s one of those games. Syracuse is one of the best zone teams in the country, and we’re not a team that performs well against a zone.”

Etan Thomas scored six points during a 15-6 run in the second half that put the Orangemen in control. Todd Burgan finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for Syracuse, and Thomas had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Surrounded by defenders all game, Kenny Thomas made only 4 of 16 shots and led New Mexico with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

“They packed it in, and it was hard on me to score in there,” said Kenny Thomas, who averaged 17 points a game during the season.

“We got open looks,” New Mexico’s Clayton Shields said. “We just didn’t knock them down.”

Originally Published: March 16, 1998 at 1:00 AM CST