COLLEGE

Pace suited up for Syracuse during the 2001–02 season, which ended as a 23–13 campaign (9–7 Big East) that included a Preseason NIT title and an NIT run that reached the semifinals, with Syracuse missing the NCAA Tournament that year.

In that 2001–02 freshman season, Pace appeared in 32 games and did not start, totaling 138 points (4.3 points per game) while shooting 58-for-117 from the field (49.6%), going 1-for-10 on three-pointers (10.0%), and making 21-of-36 free throws (58.3%).

Across those 32 games, he recorded 65 total rebounds (28 offensive, 37 defensive), along with 25 assists, 29 steals, 4 blocks, 22 turnovers, and 34 fouls, and his season best scoring total of 12 points was matched multiple times, including against Binghamton, Georgia Tech, and West Virginia, with a noted five-steal performance in a win over West Virginia.

Pace’s sophomore year came during Syracuse’s 2002–03 national championship season, as the Orangemen finished 30–5 overall (13–3 Big East) and won the NCAA title in the 81–78 national championship game win over Kansas.

In 2002–03, Pace played 32 games off the bench (0 starts) and averaged 4.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 14.7 minutes per game, while shooting 62-for-118 from the field (52.5%), going 0-for-2 from three, and hitting 14-of-25 free throws (56.0%).

He was a key contributor during the NCAA Tournament run, posting a season-high 14 points against Auburn in the Sweet 16, scoring 12 points in the national semifinal win against Texas, and producing 8 points and 8 rebounds in the national championship game against Kansas, while averaging 8.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals across Syracuse’s six NCAA Tournament games and shooting 23-for-36 from the floor (63.9%) in that tournament stretch.

As a junior in 2003–04, Pace moved into the starting lineup for all 31 games and helped Syracuse to a 23–8 overall record (11–5 Big East), with the season ending in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

Pace more than doubled his scoring output in 2003–04, averaging 9.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 33.9 minutes per game, while totaling 294 points on 135-for-267 shooting (50.6%), going 1-for-5 on three-pointers, and making 23-of-59 free throws (39.0%).

He led Syracuse with 55 steals that season, logged a career-high 22 points on 10-for-12 shooting in a win over Michigan State, matched his best single-game assist total with seven assists against Alabama in the NCAA Tournament, and played 42 minutes in an overtime win at Pittsburgh.

In his senior season (2004–05), Syracuse’s on-court record was 27–7 (11–5 Big East) and the Orange won the Big East Tournament title, though 15 regular-season wins from that season were later vacated due to NCAA sanctions, and Syracuse was upset by No. 13 seed Vermont in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Pace started 33 of 34 games as a senior and averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game, while totaling 368 points and shooting 169-for-296 from the field (57.1%), going 0-for-3 from three, and making 30-of-54 free throws (55.6%).

He earned the Big East Conference Sportsmanship Award, was an honorable mention All-Big East selection, and made the Big East All-Tournament Team, and during the year he produced his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against St. Bonaventure, had a seven-assist game against both Rutgers and Hofstra, and tied his career-high with 22 points against Rice.

Across his Syracuse career, Pace played in 129 games, made 64 starts (31 as a junior and 33 as a senior), and finished with career averages of 7.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 53.0% from the field, and his career totals included 1,876 points, 972 rebounds, 630 assists, 322 steals, and 80 blocks, with overall shooting lines of 848-for-1,600 from the field, 4-for-40 from three, and 176-for-348 at the free-throw line.