COLLEGE PARK, Md. - No. 4 Syracuse blew most of a 12-point lead in the last 8 minutes and used one final defensive stop to squeeze past Maryland 57-55 on Monday night and end a two-game losing streak.
It was another close call for the Orange (26-2, 13-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), whose previous four games were decided by a total of 12 points. Syracuse led 49-37 with 7:54 left but allowed Maryland to close to 56-55 with 47 seconds remaining.
“We’re in a lot of these games,” coach Jim Boeheim said. “For the most part we’ve made good plays at the end of them, and that’s why we are where we are. We’re not overpowering too many people, I can promise you that.”
C.J. Fair missed a jumper for the Orange, but Baye Moussa Keita blocked a driving layup by Nick Faust to keep Syracuse in front. Trevor Cooney was fouled and made 1 of 2 free throws with 4 seconds to go before Maryland’s Seth Allen’s game-ending jumper bounded off the back of the rim.
Tyler Ennis scored 20 points and Fair had 17 to help Boeheim secure his 946th career victory.
Syracuse opened the season with 25 consecutive victories before dropping successive games to Boston College and Duke to lose its No. 1 ranking. Saturday’s game at Duke was decided by a pivotal call in the final seconds that caused Boeheim to storm the court, receive two technical fouls and an automatic ejection.
In this one, Boeheim was relatively calm on the sideline as the Orange forced 18 turnovers and limited Maryland (15-13, 7-8) to 35 percent shooting.
Allen scored 22 points for the Terps. He was 6 for 9 from three-point range, but his teammates went 2 for 13.
It was the first sellout of the season at Maryland, which does not have traditional rivals Duke or North Carolina on the home schedule during its final season in the ACC. The crowd of 17,950 lost much of its enthusiasm during a stretch in which the Terrapins went scoreless for nearly 5 minutes in the second half while Syracuse upped its lead to at least 10 points.
Ennis a 6-2 freshman made a three-pointer and two baskets to put Syracuse up 42-30. The Terps closed to 44-37, but Michael Gbinije made a three-pointer, Faust botched a dunk on the other end and Ennis hit a jumper for a 49-37 lead.
It barely held up.
Syracuse shot 50 percent and Ennis drilled a three-pointer just before the buzzer for a 32-24 halftime advantage.
SWAC MEN TEXAS SOUTHERN 65, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 55
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (10-17, 8-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference) had its five-game home winning streak snapped in a loss to Texas Southern (12-14, 8-6) at H.O. Clemmons Arena in Pine Bluff.
D’Aris Scarver led Texas Southern with 21 points and seven rebounds. Aaric Murray finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
The Golden Lions, who trailed 39-24 at halftime, were led by Davon Haynes and Marcel Mosley, who both had 15 points. UAPB shot 34.6 percent (9 of 26) from the field in the first half and finished 20 of 50 (40.0) overall. SWAC WOMEN TEXAS SOUTHERN 67, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 64
Jazzmin Parker scored 27 points and Texas Southern (16-9, 13-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) held off Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-22, 2-13) at H.O. Clemmons Arena inPine Bluff.
It was Texas Southern’s 12th consecutive victory.
Ashley Ferguson and Brianna Sidney each had 10 points for the Lady Panthers, who shot 48.1 percent (26 of 54) from the field.
Cassidy Wright led the Lady Lions with 14 points. Christina Lasane and Jazmyne Victorian both scored 12 points.
UAPB shot 40.3 percent (25 of 62) and was outrebounded 39-33.
Sports, Pages 19 on 02/25/2014