Connecticut 66, No. 7 Syracuse 58: Ryan Boatright scored a game-high 17 points as the host Huskies upset the Orange in their last regular-season matchup as Big East rivals.
Omar Calhoun added 15 points, keying a game-clinching second-half run, and grabbed six rebounds for Connecticut (17-6, 7-4) while Shabazz Napier pitched in 10 points and a game-high seven assists. The Huskies shot 57.1 percent beyond the arc, helping overcome 18 turnovers.
Michael Carter-Williams led Syracuse (20-4, 8-3) with 15 points. James Southerland added 14 points for the Orange, who shot 35.4 percent from the field.
Both teams battled back-and-forth through the first half with neither able to pull ahead by more than three points until an off-balance 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer from Boatright gave the Huskies a 29-24 advantage at intermission. A 3-pointer by Southerland and jumper from Carter-Williams pulled Syracuse even at 35 4:22 into the second half.
Calhoun made three 3-pointers in a 16-4 run later in the half to increase the Connecticut cushion to 55-46 with 6:23 left. The Orange got within six on a jumper from Carter-Williams with 2:15 to go, but Boatright knocked down a pair of free throws 54 seconds later to seal the upset.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Syracuse had won four in a row against Connecticut and six of its last seven. … Carter-Williams entered the game as the nation’s leader in assists, but logged one against Connecticut. … DeAndre Daniels chipped in eight points and a team-high eight rebounds for the Huskies.
Syracuse | Connecticut | |
Michael Carter-Williams 15 | Scoring | Ryan Boatright 17 |
Brandon Triche 3 | Assists | Shabazz Napier 7 |
Jerami Grant 9 | Rebounds | DeAndre Daniels 8 |
Michael Carter-Williams 3 | Free Throws Made | Omar Calhoun 4 |
Michael Carter-Williams 4 | Steals | Ryan Boatright 3 |
Rakeem Christmas 3 | Blocks | Ryan Boatright 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Syracuse | 58 | 35.4 | 4-23 | 8-14 | 8 | 34 | 6 | 11 | 10 |
Connecticut | 66 | 46.7 | 8-14 | 16-22 | 15 | 35 | 2 | 7 | 18 |