SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Kris Joseph scored six of his 21 points in overtime, and No. 17 Syracuse held off Rutgers 84-80 on Saturday.
The game was tied at 70 after regulation, and Joseph gave the Orange (22-6, 9-6 Big East) a 75-71 lead when he curled off a screen at the top of the key and swished a feed from Brandon Triche.
Jonathan Mitchell responded 16 seconds later with a 3 from the right wing, and after Scoop Jardine’s baseline drive and floater made it 77-75 with 2:07 left, the Scarlet Knights missed three straight shots. Syracuse sank 7 of 10 free throws in the final 63 seconds to hold on.
Rick Jackson, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, had a chance to win it in regulation, but he missed one of two free throws with 9.9 seconds left and James Beatty missed a long 3 at the buzzer as the game headed for overtime.
Rutgers (13-13, 4-10) has lost five of six and fell to 1-22 all-time in games played at Syracuse, including 15 straight losses. The lone victory was 76-75 on Feb. 6, 1975 — the season before Jim Boeheim became head coach of the Orange.