SYRACUSE - The old Eric Devendorf is back.

That's good news for the Syracuse basketball team, and bad news for the censors.

Devendorf scored 11 straight points early in the second half, helping the Orange overcome a seven-point halftime deficit and pull out a 76-71 win against Richmond in the second round of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic, Tuesday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

During his 11-0 run, Devendorf knocked down three straight 3s, all on assists from Jonny Flynn.

“That was the old ‘E,' that's the old ‘E' right there,” Flynn said. “He gets in your face, talks some junk and gets things rolling.”

And that's exactly what Syracuse lacked last season, as Devendorf missed all but 10 games of the 2007-08 campaign with a torn ACL.

Sure, they missed his points. But they missed his intensity a whole lot more.

Last season, the Orange lose this game. They struggled to hold late leads (see Rhode Island, Massachussetts, Pitt - I could go on) and they rarely pulled off the comeback win.

But with the old “E” back, Syracuse has a veteran presence who makes crunch time a little less strenuous for Jim Boeheim.

“Coach told me ‘Show me the Eric Devendorf I saw last year. Show me that swagger,'” Devendorf said.

And as good as Devendorf was against the Spiders, the other half of SU's backcourt might have been better.

The super sophomore Flynn scored 27 points, including 16 in the game's final 13.5 minutes.

Flynn and Devendorf carved up the Richmond defense, proving the duo is just as effective on the drive as they are from long distance.

In the decisive second half, Flynn and Devendorf combined for 33 of the Orange's 45 points on 12-for-17 shooting.

“It was my turn, then seven, eight minutes later it was Jonny's turn,” Devendorf said. “It's going to be tough to stop this backcourt.”

Boeheim said Richmond's focus on defending the interior opened up lanes for his guards.

“They were in a match-up zone to help out on Arinze (Onuaku),” he said. “When Jonny and Eric get it, the defense spreads and they can get by people. The defenders were worried about Arinze, they're not leaving him and it gives (Jonny and Eric) a path to the basket.”

Flynn isn't a surprise to anyone. He's receiving plenty of national attention and is widely regarded as one of the nation's best point guards.

But Devendorf has kind of been lost in the mix. It wasn't too long ago that he was the face of the Orange. He was one of the Big East's best guards and one of its most explosive scorers. He was on the Naismith Award watch list and was a potential All-American candidate.

Devendorf was even on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Remember that?

Now, it's strange to say this, but it seems like he's under the radar.

But that might not last for long. Not after g0ames like this.

“I felt like I had to light a spark out there, for myself and for my team,” he said. “It obviously worked. ” I felt good going to the basket. I felt like my old self.“

With the old Eric Devendorf, Syracuse is a new team. Maybe a bit more brash, but better nonetheless.