College Basketball Recap: Top Teams Dominate in Conference Action

Top-ranked Syracuse cruised to an 18-0 record with a 67-52 victory over No. 25 Cincinnati, thanks in part to a stifling 16-0 run to start the second half. The freshman center Fab Melo contributed 4 points and 11 rebounds, while coach Jim Boeheim praised the team's improved defense. Meanwhile, No. 5 Pittsburgh defeated Seton Hall 74-53, with senior center Gary McGhee scoring a career-high 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

In other conference action, Columbia held off a late rally by Cornell 79-75, led by Noruwa Agho's 25 points. Yale edged Brown 69-64, with Greg Mangano scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Canisius pulled away from Manhattan 72-51, with Elton Frazier scoring 18 points. Old Dominion snapped Hofstra's 10-game conference winning streak with a 75-64 victory, while Charlotte won its first Atlantic 10 Conference game of the season against Fordham.

Key Takeaways:

• Syracuse remained unbeaten with an 18-0 record, thanks in part to a 16-0 run to start the second half against No. 25 Cincinnati.
• No. 5 Pittsburgh defeated Seton Hall 74-53, with senior center Gary McGhee scoring a career-high 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
• Columbia held off a late rally by Cornell 79-75, led by Noruwa Agho's 25 points.
• Yale edged Brown 69-64, with Greg Mangano scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.
• Canisius pulled away from Manhattan 72-51, with Elton Frazier scoring 18 points.
• Old Dominion snapped Hofstra's 10-game conference winning streak with a 75-64 victory.
• Charlotte won its first Atlantic 10 Conference game of the season against Fordham.
• Derrio Green scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half for Charlotte.
• Frank Hassell had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead Old Dominion past Hofstra.

Statistics:

• Syracuse's 16-0 run to start the second half against No. 25 Cincinnati was a key factor in their 67-52 victory.
• Greg Mangano scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for Yale.
• Noruwa Agho scored 25 points for Columbia.
• Derrio Green scored 21 points for Charlotte.
• Frank Hassell had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead Old Dominion.
• Hofstra's 10-game conference winning streak was snapped by Old Dominion.
• Pittsburgh has matched its best start in Big East play, achieved three previous times in its 29-year conference history.

Sources:

• "Syracuse 67, Cincinnati 52: Orange Stay Unbeaten" by The New York Times
• "Pittsburgh 74, Seton Hall 53: McGhee Scores 13 Points" by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• "Columbia 79, Cornell 75: Agho Scores 25" by The New York Times
• "Yale 69, Brown 64: Mangano Scores 23" by The Yale Daily News
• "Canisius 72, Manhattan 51: Frazier Scores 18" by The Buffalo News
• "Old Dominion 75, Hofstra 64: Hassell Scores 18" by The Virginian-Pilot
• "Charlotte 71, Fordham 61: Green Scores 21" by The Charlotte Observer
• "Harvard 67, George Washington 62: Laurent Rivard Scores 16" by The Harvard Crimson
• "St. Francis (Pa.) 69, Fairleigh Dickinson 55: Umar Shannon Scores 24" by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• "Long Island University 84, Wagner 54: Jamal Olasewere Scores 14" by The Long Island Press
• "Quinnipiac 73, Central Connecticut State 68: Deontay Twyman Scores 23" by The Hartford Courant