With Trevor Cooney and C.J. Fair unable to find their shots, Syracuse turned to an efficient but infrequently used offensive option: Rakeem Christmas.

The same SU center whose post-ups are often ignored scored six of the team’s final 20 points in the Orange’s (18-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast) 59-54 win over Pittsburgh (16-2, 4-1) at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.

“I thought Rakeem was good tonight offensively,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “I think we can find him down there a little bit better.”

Christmas finished with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field and made two free throws with three seconds left to ice the game. Shooting 73.6 percent on the season, he continued to thrive in the low post, even against powerful Panthers forward Talib Zanna.

“He’s a great finisher. I think he gets good position,” Fair said. “Definitely Rak should get a few more touches a game.”

After scoring four points in the first half, Christmas was key in the Orange’s attack of Pitt’s zone. The Panthers switched to Syracuse’s signature defense in the second half and the SU junior center was grateful for more one-on-one opportunities.

He knocked down a baby right hook six minutes into the second half and a jumper midway through it. Christmas also swatted a Zanna shot attempt off the backboard during the surge, as the Orange fought to hold off a rallying Panthers squad.

“When they switched to the zone, we went to him twice and he gave us two good post moves when we had to have them,” Boeheim said.

But Christmas’ biggest contributions may have come from the free-throw line with three seconds left.

After hauling in Lamar Patterson’s missed free throw and drawing a foul, he walked down the court ahead of everyone else and stood at the stripe with Syracuse leading 57-54.

Three dribbles, a bend of the knees and a flick of the wrist later, and the Orange won the game.

Published on January 18, 2014 at 11:17 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1