Hobbled by a lower back injury and quiet for much of the game, Tyus Battle saved his best for last as Syracuse edged Maryland 72-70 on Monday night in an ACC-Big Ten Challenge game before 20,852 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

With the Orange trailing 66-65, Battle sank a 3-pointer from the corner to give Syracuse a two-point lead. Before that shot, the Orange had missed all four of their 3-pointers in the second half and were 2 of 17 overall from beyond the arc.

Battle then stole the ball from Maryland's Anthony Cowan and made both free throws after getting fouled to increase the lead to 70-66.

Maryland's Kevin Huerter sank his seventh 3-pointer with seven seconds left, but Battle's dunk on a breakaway pushed Syracuse's lead to 72-69 with five seconds to go.

Battle, who was injured in Syracuse's previous game on Nov. 22, scored 18 points for the Orange (6-0). Syracuse's Oshae Brissett had 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, and Frank Howard contributed 15 points, 10 assists and seven steals.

Huerter paced the Terrapins (6-2) with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting (7-of-9 from 3-point range). Bruno Fernando scored 13 points and Cowan added 11 for Maryland, which was 11 of 23 from beyond the arc but committed 18 turnovers.

The Terrapins used a 9-2 spurt early in the second half to take a 44-40 lead, and 3-pointers from Justin Jackson and Huerter kept Maryland ahead 52-50 with 12 minutes remaining.

Brissett's three-point play keyed a 6-0 run that put the Orange ahead 56-52, but Huerter's 3-pointer, Darryl Morsell's two free throws and Morsell's drive moved Maryland back in front at 59-56.

Paschal Chukwu's dunk and Brissett's three-point play gave Syracuse a 63-61 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left, but Huerter's 3-pointer from the top of the key put the Terrapins ahead 66-65 with 1:43 remaining.

The Orange led 36-35 after an entertaining first half that included eight ties and 10 lead changes. Syracuse grabbed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to a 26-12 advantage in the paint as the Orange went 13 of 22 inside the arc and 2 of 13 from outside.

Despite 10 first-half turnovers, Maryland stayed close thanks to 5-of-12 shooting from 3-point range, including Huerter's 3-of-4 effort.

Howard led the Orange in the first half with seven points, six assists and five steals.