Demetris Nichols scored more than 20 points in Syracuse’s two previous games against Charlotte and Canisius. But against Holy Cross he didn’t have to be the team’s savior. He didn’t care, though, because the results are the same for him.

The SU small forward led the team with 21 points, shooting 7-of-12 and 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the Orange’s 72-64 victory over the Crusaders. Impressive numbers, especially since Nichols sat out at the 13:33 mark in the second half after picking up his fourth foul.

‘He was tremendous tonight,’ Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘He was really good. He was shooting the ball and making good decisions. He was good defensively. That’s what we expect he has to do for us.’

It’s not a new Nichols. He’s scored double digits in all seven games, including a critical 21-point performance last week against Charlotte. Nichols scored 11 points in the first 2:22 of the second half of that game to help SU (7-0) secure the victory.

On Monday, he set the tone early by scoring nine points in the first half. Unfortunately for the Orange, Nichols fell into foul trouble. As soon as he came off the court, Syracuse’s double-digit lead dwindled.

Nichols didn’t return until he replaced forward Paul Harris with 5:38 left in the game. By that time, SU only held a 59-50 lead, a deficit that shrunk thanks to Syracuse’s loss of energy.

Boeheim acknowledged part of the reason Holy Cross (5-1) cut the lead was SU’s 21 fouls. With that came the absence of Nichols’ effort in the second half.

‘They didn’t want them to execute and let them run what they wanted to run,’ SU center Darryl Watkins said of the team’s foul trouble. ‘Preventing the plays was the main objective.’

Before foul trouble, Nichols helped Syracuse stage a comfortable lead in the first half that was as large as 18 points when the Orange led the Crusaders, 30-12, with 2:09 left in the first half. He immediately set foot when he stole the ball from Holy Cross’s Eric Meister and found forward Harris inside. He drew a foul and started the game off with a 2-0 lead.

Nichols’ 3-pointer at the 10:21 mark broke open a 15-5 lead. Less than two minutes later, another Nichols 3-pointer increased the lead, 20-7.

‘I continue to move,’ Nichols said. ‘I try not to stay in one spot. Coach Boeheim always tells me when I pass, move or cut to the basket or spot up. My teammates are finding me.’

Nichols’ game is far from fancy and it doesn’t deviate from anything he’s done before. Throughout his four years at SU, Nichols always played the wing spot, penetrating behind screens and along the baseline to get open on the perimeter. It’s different now, though, because he’s put up numbers like Monday’s more consistently.

Nichols insists his teammates are just finding him open and he’s not doing much of anything. Hitting 3-pointers from the corner can become an easy routine when there’s no guard in front to contest the shot. But what Nichols is doing to make himself open is what’s indicating how well he’s playing.

‘He’s putting himself in the right spots,’ SU guard Josh Wright said. ‘As he sees the guards penetrating he’s finding ways to get himself open. That’s the best way he can do for us.’

When Nichols returned in the second half, he didn’t necessarily provide a spark, but he made some key plays to hold a slim SU lead.

Nichols made a steal and pulled up for a jumper to increase the Orange’s lead to 64-55 with 2:31 left. But it’s a shot Boeheim said wasn’t necessary because it was forced.

With 35 seconds left, Nichols turned the ball over on an inbounds play but compensated by blocking Colin Cunningham’s shot and then hauled in a rebound off Lawrence Dixon’s miss.

He then sunk 3-of-4 free-throws to secure the victory.

‘I don’t feel pressure,’ Nichols said ‘We just have to get better as a team. I’ll take whatever comes to me. I go out there and play. I work so hard. Practice makes perfect so I just have hope and play like how I should play.’

Published on November 27, 2006 at 12:00 pm